Some VIP Twitter users awoke on Saturday to a surprising turn of events. Instead of losing their blue verification check marks in Elon Musk’s anticipated purge, Twitter chose to focus on a particular account from a major publication disliked by Musk. The platform made site changes in a manner that obscured the reasons behind why users are verified.
The announced winding down of blue checks granted under Twitter’s old verification system was set to begin on April 1. To retain verification, Musk indicated that users needed to subscribe to Twitter Blue by paying $8 per month – a service that has allowed accounts to pay for verification since December.
Contrary to expectations, most legacy blue check holders discovered this weekend that their verification marks had not vanished but had been modified with a new label stating: “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account.” This alteration, visible when users click on the check mark, now causes uncertainty regarding whether verified accounts denote notable individuals or simply users who have subscribed to Twitter Blue.
Although many retained their blue checks, the New York Times’ primary account lost its blue check over the weekend. The account had publicized that it would not pay for verification. A meme shared by an account often interacting with Musk about the Times’ refusal to pay for verification led to Musk tweeting, “Oh ok, we’ll take it off then.” Subsequently, Musk criticized the Times in a series of tweets accusing the outlet of producing boring and propagandist content.
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The events over the weekend underscore the confusion users face over Twitter feature changes. Notably, such changes affect many high-profile accounts that have long been a significant draw to the platform. Moreover, it highlights Musk’s tendency to influence platform decisions based more on whims than on policy.
After losing its blue check, the New York Times maintained verification on its other accounts related to arts, travel, and books content. While the reason for the New York Times not having a gold “organizations” check mark remains unclear, the outlet reiterated its stance against paying for verification following the account’s de-verification.
Twitter has undergone several changes and challenges since laying off much of its public relations staff last fall. The platform, now displaying a doge meme in place of its traditional blue bird logo, did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
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The blue check mark restructuring, initially announced by Musk shortly after acquiring Twitter, has seen various iterations from its launch in November to its re-launch in December. Celebrities and influencers, like William Shatner and Monica Lewinksy, have contested the idea of having to pay for a feature crucial for their online safety.
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Musk, citing the need for equal treatment, advocated for changes to Twitter’s verification system, emphasizing inclusivity for all users. The introduction of a paid verification feature may not only ensure fairness across the platform but also generate revenue to offset Musk’s substantial debt from the Twitter acquisition. Beginning on April 15, Musk stipulated that only verified accounts would be recommended in users’ “For You” feeds alongside the accounts they follow.
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