Elon Musk's platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has reportedly offered subscription benefits to designated terrorist groups and other entities prohibited from operating in the US, according to activists.

The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) discovered that X had awarded blue checkmarks to profiles associated with Hezbollah members and other groups.

For a monthly fee of $8 (£6.40), the checkmark grants users access to extended posts and enhanced promotional features.

Following the report, X eliminated some of these checkmarks, asserting the strength of its security measures.

One of the most contentious changes implemented by Mr. Musk upon acquiring Twitter in 2022 was the introduction of checkmark fees. Critics argued that this move would exacerbate issues of misinformation and make the platform more susceptible to impersonation.

Previously, the checkmark was complimentary and signified that the social media platform had verified the account holder's identity. Recipients included journalists, world leaders, and celebrities.

However, some individuals sanctioned in the US also received checkmarks, leading to accusations that the company was providing a platform to inappropriate figures and potentially violating US sanctions laws.

With the introduction of a paid system, X may be facing new legal challenges, as noted by the Tech Transparency Project. Following the publication of its report, X removed checkmarks from the identified accounts.

The TTP said an account run by Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, had also seemingly paid for its blue check mark. The check mark has now been removed.

The account has over 23,000 followers. The Houthis are sanctioned in both the US and the UK. The UK government says on its website that it has sanctioned the Houthis "to disrupt their ability to attack international shipping in the Red Sea, and to promote Yemen's peace, stability and security".

The US Treasury, which outlines organizations the US will not trade with, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC.

"The U.S. imposes sanctions on individuals, groups, and countries deemed to be a threat to national security. Elon Musk's X appears to be selling premium service to some of them", the TTP wrote in its report.

"A blue checkmark account that bears the name and profile image of Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, also indicates it is 'ID verified', a service that X offers to premium subscribers as a way to prevent impersonation.

X requires users to submit a government-issued ID and a selfie to get verified in this way, though it is unclear if Nasrallah did so", it added.

Posting on X, the firm's team in charge of safety wrote that its subscription process was "adhering to legal obligations", and was independently screened by X's payment providers.

"Several of the accounts listed in the Tech Transparency Report are not directly named on sanction lists, while some others may have visible account check marks without receiving any services that would be subject to sanctions", X wrote, adding that the firm would "take action if necessary" after reviewing TTP's report.

The TTP responded to the post by saying that even though some of the organizations were not named on the US sanctions list, they were owned by entities that are under US sanctions.

The director of the TTP Katie Paul told the New York Times that it was a sign that X had "lost control of its platform".

The owner of X, Elon Musk - who is also the chief executive of Tesla and one of the world's richest people - has previously said that he wants the social media platform to be like a "town square", advocating the right to free speech, while also removing illegal content.

But some decisions following Mr Musk's takeover of X have been controversial, including the reinstatement of rapper Kanye West's account in 2023 after an almost eight-month ban over offensive posts including antisemitic comments.

The TTP identified other accounts that had seemingly paid-for subscription accounts, including one belonging to NTV, a state-controlled television channel in Russia. The US made trade with Russia illegal after it invaded Ukraine.

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