Elon Musk's Twitter Purge: A Tale of Selective Enforcement
In a move that has left many confused, Elon Musk's Twitter purge of blue check marks did not go as planned. The billionaire entrepreneur had announced that he would be "winding down" the coveted verification feature for high-profile users on April 1, in an effort to push them towards his Twitter Blue subscription service, which costs $8 per month.
However, instead of targeting most legacy blue check holders, Musk singled out a single account from The New York Times. The main account for the publication lost its blue check over the weekend, while its other accounts, such as those for its arts and books content, remained verified.
The move has raised eyebrows among experts, who point out that the new label appended to legacy blue check holders could make it easier for scammers to impersonate high-profile users. The changes also appear to be guided by whims rather than policy, with Musk often using his platform to lash out at journalists and media outlets.
Musk's long campaign against "legacy" blue checks has been ongoing since he took over Twitter last fall. However, the recent move has highlighted how the billionaire's approach to decision-making is often unpredictable and prone to causing confusion among users.
The new label appended to legacy blue check holders reads: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This language makes it unclear whether verified accounts are actually notable individuals or simply users who have paid for verification, which could potentially undermine the purpose of the feature altogether.
While Musk has claimed that his changes will treat everyone equally, critics argue that the new system creates a two-tiered approach to verification, with some users paying for blue checks and others not. The move also raises concerns about revenue generation, as Musk seeks to drive income from his Twitter Blue subscription service.
In conclusion, Elon Musk's Twitter purge of blue check marks was supposed to be a way of promoting his new subscription service, but instead it has highlighted the unpredictability of his decision-making process and the potential risks of creating confusion among users.
In a move that has left many confused, Elon Musk's Twitter purge of blue check marks did not go as planned. The billionaire entrepreneur had announced that he would be "winding down" the coveted verification feature for high-profile users on April 1, in an effort to push them towards his Twitter Blue subscription service, which costs $8 per month.
However, instead of targeting most legacy blue check holders, Musk singled out a single account from The New York Times. The main account for the publication lost its blue check over the weekend, while its other accounts, such as those for its arts and books content, remained verified.
The move has raised eyebrows among experts, who point out that the new label appended to legacy blue check holders could make it easier for scammers to impersonate high-profile users. The changes also appear to be guided by whims rather than policy, with Musk often using his platform to lash out at journalists and media outlets.
Musk's long campaign against "legacy" blue checks has been ongoing since he took over Twitter last fall. However, the recent move has highlighted how the billionaire's approach to decision-making is often unpredictable and prone to causing confusion among users.
The new label appended to legacy blue check holders reads: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This language makes it unclear whether verified accounts are actually notable individuals or simply users who have paid for verification, which could potentially undermine the purpose of the feature altogether.
While Musk has claimed that his changes will treat everyone equally, critics argue that the new system creates a two-tiered approach to verification, with some users paying for blue checks and others not. The move also raises concerns about revenue generation, as Musk seeks to drive income from his Twitter Blue subscription service.
In conclusion, Elon Musk's Twitter purge of blue check marks was supposed to be a way of promoting his new subscription service, but instead it has highlighted the unpredictability of his decision-making process and the potential risks of creating confusion among users.