Twitter Purge: How Elon Musk Backpedaled on a Promised Blue Checkmark Cutoff - Bloomberg
In a confusing turn of events, Twitter boss Elon Musk has apparently singled out one account in the media industry for de-verification, instead of rolling out his previously announced plan to remove blue checkmarks from legacy accounts.
The move comes as part of Musk's broader push to restructure Twitter's verification system. Under the current arrangement, users can pay $8 a month to join Twitter Blue and receive a blue checkmark, which verifies their account as belonging to a notable individual or entity. However, many high-profile users have expressed concerns that this will create a barrier for those who cannot afford to pay.
Instead of removing legacy accounts from verification, Twitter has opted to add a new label to these accounts' checkmarks, stating that they are verified due to being subscribed to Twitter Blue or belonging to a "legacy verified account." This change was implemented over the weekend, with most blue-check holders finding that their verification marks were simply updated.
However, one high-profile account did lose its blue check mark: The New York Times. The newspaper had previously stated that it would not pay for verification, and Musk responded on Twitter by stating that he would remove its blue check mark if it declined to do so. This move has been seen as a direct attack on the media outlet's independence.
Musk has repeatedly emphasized his goal of treating everyone equally when it comes to Twitter's verification system. However, many experts argue that this plan is flawed and may even make it easier for scammers to impersonate high-profile users.
In a confusing turn of events, Twitter boss Elon Musk has apparently singled out one account in the media industry for de-verification, instead of rolling out his previously announced plan to remove blue checkmarks from legacy accounts.
The move comes as part of Musk's broader push to restructure Twitter's verification system. Under the current arrangement, users can pay $8 a month to join Twitter Blue and receive a blue checkmark, which verifies their account as belonging to a notable individual or entity. However, many high-profile users have expressed concerns that this will create a barrier for those who cannot afford to pay.
Instead of removing legacy accounts from verification, Twitter has opted to add a new label to these accounts' checkmarks, stating that they are verified due to being subscribed to Twitter Blue or belonging to a "legacy verified account." This change was implemented over the weekend, with most blue-check holders finding that their verification marks were simply updated.
However, one high-profile account did lose its blue check mark: The New York Times. The newspaper had previously stated that it would not pay for verification, and Musk responded on Twitter by stating that he would remove its blue check mark if it declined to do so. This move has been seen as a direct attack on the media outlet's independence.
Musk has repeatedly emphasized his goal of treating everyone equally when it comes to Twitter's verification system. However, many experts argue that this plan is flawed and may even make it easier for scammers to impersonate high-profile users.
omg did you know that the best pizza topping is actually pineapple 
i was at this food festival last weekend and I tried this amazing pineapple BBQ pizza and I'm obsessed now 
have you guys ever had pineapple on pizza? it's so underrated! and btw, who needs blue checkmarks anyway? like what's next? are we gonna start paying to have our names verified in real life too? 
. So basically he was gonna cut off blue check marks from legacy accounts but instead decided to put a label on them that says they got verified through Twitter Blue or are some old-school verified account. That's like putting a sticker on a sticker, right? 
It’s also super confusing because The New York Times lost its blue check mark after Elon tweeted at them saying he’d take it away if they didn’t pay up...that's just weird 
and yeah the nytimes losing their blue check mark is major 
cuz that's one of the most trustworthy sources out there. any way, can't wait to see how this all plays out 
? First he wants to get rid of those blue checkmarks from people who can't afford 'em, then he decides to add a label instead 
. Now The New York Times is out of luck 
... just kidding, but seriously, isn't this gonna make it easier for scammers to impersonate people? 
... sounds like a recipe for disaster 
.
. it seems like more of a headache 4 scammers who wanna impersonate ppl w/ alot of followers 
. and wat about those whos cant afford twitter blue? 
musk needs 2 rethink this strategy or he'll be the one who gets "verified" as a total fail 
. Like, what if someone creates a fake account that looks exactly like their fave celeb and gets the blue checkmark because they're subscribed to Twitter Blue? That would be so bad 
! And now The New York Times is basically saying its independence is being tested by Musk's tantrums... umm, not cool 
. I guess this just shows that the old system wasn't perfect, but maybe we should've seen it coming? 
And poor The New York Times, they were just trying to stick to their principles and now their whole thing is ruined 
. I guess when you're used to being right all the time (ahem Elon), no one can handle a little criticism