United States: Twitter has commenced the removal of its well-known blue checkmark from verified users who have not subscribed to its paid service, Twitter Blue, after experiencing several months of delays.
The launch of Twitter Blue took place last year after Mr. Elon Musk purchased the social media platform for $44 billion. It introduced various features, including the option to obtain a blue tick for $8 per month. Accounts that were already verified with blue checkmarks before Mr. Musk acquired Twitter, known as “legacy accounts,” were presented with a choice to either subscribe to the new Twitter Blue service or face the possibility of losing their checkmark. The blue tick was initially implemented to prevent the impersonation of public figures.
Despite delaying the deadline for several times, Twitter started removing checkmarks from numerous legacy accounts on 20th April 2023, including notable figures such as Mr. Bill Gates, Ms. Kim Kardashian, and Pope Francis.
Well-known organizations, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Human Rights Watch, also had their checkmarks removed. Several of them shared on Twitter about their choice to not sign up for Twitter Blue.
Author Mr. Stephen King used Twitter to clarify that he had not paid for Twitter Blue and had not provided his phone number, despite his account still displaying the blue tick. He joined other celebrities who also shared similar sentiments on the platform.
Numerous government agencies, public-service accounts, and nonprofits also lost their checkmarks, sparking concerns about how the public will be able to differentiate between official channels of information and other accounts during public emergencies or events. Mr. Musk’s Twitter has introduced a grey checkmark for verified government accounts and a gold one for verified media outlets. However, it is unclear how these designations are determined.
The modifications sparked protests from many Twitter users who were concerned that the new system would promote the dissemination of false information and fake news. In early November 2022, Twitter had to halt the initial release of Twitter Blue due to a surge in impersonation accounts. However, after making some modifications, the service was re-released in December 2022.
The recent removal of checkmarks for non-paying users on 20th April 2023 resulted in a similar bout of turmoil, with impersonator accounts reappearing for prominent individuals such as Mr. Jeff Bezos. A fake account claimed that the billionaire was “officially shutting down Amazon.”
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