Social Media platform Twitter is going through multiple changes under the leadership of Elon Musk. One of its recent changes was related to the legacy blue checks. However, after chaos, the Twitter blue ticks are back again for accounts featuring more than 1 million followers. Beyonce, Kobe Bryant, Richard Osman, and many more are again featuring Twitter blue checks on their account even though they haven’t subscribed to the feature.
Elon Musk abolished the free blue tick authentication system in one of his recent changes. According to the announcements blue ticks were taken down from all the major accounts of celebrities and public figures unless they subscribed to Twitter Blue.
All the accounts that didn’t pay for the feature started to lose their badges on April 20. This gave a rise to trolls creating fake accounts and spreading chaos across the platform. Following this netizens have noted that many major accounts are regaining their legacy blue checks although they haven’t paid for them.
Twitter is restoring legacy blue checks for high-profile accounts
Before Elon Musk changed the criteria of legacy blue checks, they were a symbol of verification provided for free from Twitter. It was a tool for authentification to avoid fake accounts impersonating and spreading misinformation about celebrities and public figures.
Musk abolished this system and launched a service called Twitter Blue. The users can now subscribe to blue checks for approximately $8 per month. The verification process is also shortened to the payment regardless of what is the identity of the account holder.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago & Illinois’ transportation departments just announced the permanent closure of DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Except, of course, they didn’t really do that.
Fake accounts posing as (previously verified) government accounts did & 100k+ people saw. pic.twitter.com/RjJ64dEpge
— Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) April 21, 2023
Most of the Twitter users that didn’t pay for Twitter Blue began losing their checks on April 20. This ensued chaos over the platform as trolls quickly started to impersonate various accounts. Fake accounts of Chicago and Illinois transportation announced the closure of DuSable Lake Short Drive misleading 100k users.
However, following the chaos many celebrities are noting the restoration of the blue marks although they haven’t paid for the service. According to BBC, the Broadcaster James O’Brian has regained his blue tick after losing it. He also confirmed regaining the check without subscribing to Twitter Blue.
Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson joked his disappearing and reappearing of the blue check is one of the mysteries of the universe.
This past week my Twitter "Blue Check" disappeared for a few days, and then reappeared today.
The Universe brims with mysteries. pic.twitter.com/EKFThp4DuX
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) April 23, 2023
Netizens react to the return of Twitter blue checks for high-profile accounts
Following the restoration of Twitter blue ticks celebrities began to share their confusion about the change. Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander also expressed his confusion regarding the Twitter Verification.
Friends told me my blue verified check was restored. Dont know why. I've paid nothing. I gave no number. @StephenKing reported same. My account remains so no one steals the account name. And I can tell you this madness hasn't happened on Insta or Spoutible.
— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 22, 2023
After two days our account got the blue tick back. It seems it has something to do with '1M+ followers' accounts changes made by Twitter.
Yet, we seem obliged to clarify that the Memorial never subscribed and paid for the Twitter Blue as it might be implied. pic.twitter.com/dyXPlSzEas
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) April 23, 2023
Many netizens commented that accounts with more than a million followers are allegedly regaining their verification with the misleading message of having subscribed to Twitter Blue. Meanwhile, many noted that accounts with less than 1 million followers are also regaining the checks.
Looks like Twitter has forcibly applied a check mark to nearly every account with more than a million followers, whether legacy verified (or living) or not, and along with it added the potentially libelous label saying it’s because the person subscribed to Twitter Blue.
— Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) April 23, 2023
Over the last 2.5 months Elon Musk went from saying the "legacy blue checks… are the ones that are truly corrupt" to making sure every legacy blue check with over 1 million followers gets a blue check for free.
I guess 1m followers is the threshold for not being truly corrupt. pic.twitter.com/1tOylwKMsD
— The Darkest Timeline Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) April 23, 2023
Netizens also clarified the previous accounts of celebrities who are no longer among us are regaining the blue checks although their family members haven’t purchased the Twitter Blue subscription.
Disgraced at how celebrities refused to pay for a blue check, Musk now put it back on legacy verified accounts with more than a million followers to pretend like the biggest accounts on the site are paying. Kobe Bryant did not subscribe to Twitter Blue y’all. Kobe Bryant is dead. pic.twitter.com/Yl6R6NprmO
— Uju Anya (she/her) (@UjuAnya) April 23, 2023
Yesterday, Twitter inexplicably restored blue checks for random famous dead people, including Jamal Khashoggi, Anthony Bourdain & Terry Pratchett.
Twitter claims they’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue 🤦🏻♀️
That’s a lie. They’re dead & their accounts aren’t subscribed to Twitter Blue. pic.twitter.com/pnKUd6MGCM
— Monica Marks (@MonicaLMarks) April 23, 2023
Elon Musk confirmed paying for the subscription on behalf of Stephen King, William Shatner, and Lebron James who previously criticized the monetization of the feature. However, he hasn’t clarified the reasons behind the restoration of Twitter Verification.
My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t.
My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.— Stephen King (@StephenKing) April 20, 2023
Twitter hasn’t disclosed the number of subscribers at the time of writing the article. According to TechCrunch, the platform has approximately 386,000 subscribers to Twitter Blue in March 2023.
You can also share any questions you have about Twitter Blue. Until then, stay with us here at Spiel Times for more content.
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