Elon Musk's plans for Twitter's blue check marks seemed set to rid the platform of its most coveted verification badges, but instead of a purge, one account was singled out for removal. The New York Times main account lost its coveted blue badge over the weekend after tweeting about the impending change.
On April 1, Musk announced that Twitter would "begin winding down" the blue checks granted under the old system, which aimed to protect high-profile users at risk of impersonation. However, instead of a blanket purge, Twitter seems to have targeted a single account - The New York Times - that had previously declined to pay for verification.
The language on Twitter's site has also changed, appending a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This move muddies the reason accounts are verified and could risk making it easier for scammers to impersonate high-profile users. Experts warn that reserving verification for paid users may not reduce the number of bots on the site, an issue Musk has raised previously.
Musk's actions have sparked confusion among Twitter users, particularly those with legacy blue checks who had expected their badges to disappear. The billionaire claims his changes are about "treating everyone equally," but critics say this move is more about driving revenue for Twitter and appeasing Musk's personal agenda.
The situation highlights how Musk often guides decisions on the platform through whims rather than policy. The sudden change also raises questions about why some accounts, like those from prominent publications or organizations, continue to receive blue checks despite not paying for verification.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: Twitter users are left wondering what's next in Musk's ongoing campaign against legacy blue check marks.
On April 1, Musk announced that Twitter would "begin winding down" the blue checks granted under the old system, which aimed to protect high-profile users at risk of impersonation. However, instead of a blanket purge, Twitter seems to have targeted a single account - The New York Times - that had previously declined to pay for verification.
The language on Twitter's site has also changed, appending a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This move muddies the reason accounts are verified and could risk making it easier for scammers to impersonate high-profile users. Experts warn that reserving verification for paid users may not reduce the number of bots on the site, an issue Musk has raised previously.
Musk's actions have sparked confusion among Twitter users, particularly those with legacy blue checks who had expected their badges to disappear. The billionaire claims his changes are about "treating everyone equally," but critics say this move is more about driving revenue for Twitter and appeasing Musk's personal agenda.
The situation highlights how Musk often guides decisions on the platform through whims rather than policy. The sudden change also raises questions about why some accounts, like those from prominent publications or organizations, continue to receive blue checks despite not paying for verification.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: Twitter users are left wondering what's next in Musk's ongoing campaign against legacy blue check marks.
. I mean, you'd think that Elon would be all about equal treatment on Twitter, but it seems like he's got another angle here 
. The fact that they're just taking out one account and not a blanket purge raises some serious eyebrows. It's almost like they're testing the waters to see how users react before implementing something more widespread.
. If people start to lose trust in Twitter's verification system, it could lead to even more bots and scammers running amok 
. Not exactly what Elon wants when he's trying to make the platform a safer place for everyone.
. Anyway, one thing is for sure – this isn't over yet 
! I mean, come on Elon, if you're gonna make a change, just stick to it, ya know? It seems like every few days something new is popping up and it's all so confusing 
. I was one of those people who had paid for verification in the past, but now that they've changed it, I'm not sure what's going on anymore 
. And can we talk about how this just paves the way for scammers to impersonate us? It's just not fair 
. I get that you wanna make changes and all, but sometimes less is more, you know? Don't go out of your way to mess with something that worked fine in the first place 
What's going on here is that Musk wants Twitter to be a more monetized platform, and by doing so, he's making it harder for users to know what's real and what's not.
I'm not sure if this change will actually reduce bots on the site, but it's definitely going to make things more confusing for users. The label on Twitter's site now sounds like something from a scammer's playbook 
. We need to keep an eye on this situation and see how it plays out in the long run. 
. I mean, what's next? Are legacy blue checks just gonna disappear without warning for all of us? It's like Musk is playing a game of cat and mouse with Twitter users, making it harder to trust the platform 
.
. If you need to pay for verification, how are those guys supposed to do their jobs? It's a bit of a double standard if you ask me 
.
.