Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Elon Musk
Thanks to Elon Musk, the Blue Check on Twitter has become nothing but a joke. His latest move has caused even more confusion.
Leading up to the weekend, legacy verified Twitter users were reacting as it seemed they would lose their blue checkmarks on April 1 if they did not pay $8 or $11 for Twitter Blue.
Everyone said no to Musk’s idea—even LeBron James, who is notoriously frugal with his funds, and other notable people plus companies.
Even The White House said it would not pay Elon Musk’s Twitter to keep the account verified.
In response to nobody flinching as Musk’s threat to take away their blue checks didn’t work, Twitter did something else. It just updated the language about verification on the platform. No one can distinguish between an account subscribing to Twitter Blue or a legacy verified user or account.
The new description for accounts with blue checkmarks reads, “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account.”
The old policy description read, “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue,” Under accounts that the old Twitter regime gave blue checks, the description previously said, “This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable.”
People quickly saw the jig, pointing out they were not Twitter Blue subscribers. “I just want you all to know that I have never paid Apartheid Elmo $11 for a check, and never will,” author and TV writer Kahana Cauley said in a tweet.
https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/1642621800680165376?s=20
Business Are Not Paying Either
Twitter is bleeding cash since scaring away advertisers began a program for businesses and organizations charging them $1,000 a month.
Businesses and non-profit organizations have a gold checkmark, and governments have a gray checkmark. As part of that policy, Twitter claims it would waive the fee for its 500 largest advertisers and 10,000 brands, companies, and organizations with the most followers.
Being the bitter man that he is, Phony Stark took away the New York Times gold badge after an exchange on Twitter where someone said the publication would not pay for the subscription. Musk replied, “Oh ok, we’ll take it off then,” adding in another tweet, “NY Times is being incredible hypocritical here, as they are super aggressive about forcing everyone to pay their subscription.”
The New York Times is standing firm, reiterating that it will not pay the monthly fee or reimburse any reporters who pay for verification.
The gallery below shows more reactions to the blue check madness.
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Photo: NurPhoto / Getty
