Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, has announced significant changes to the verification status of accounts on the platform. Following his acquisition of Twitter, Musk has implemented a variety of updates, including a recent shift that prioritizes verified accounts. This announcement was shared via a tweet on Tuesday stating, “Verified accounts are now prioritised.”
The new policy has led to numerous celebrities losing their coveted blue verification ticks. With many accounts now opting to pay for verification, this development may encourage others to follow suit.
The blue tick system was designed to protect public figures from impersonation and to help combat the spread of misinformation.
Earlier this year, Twitter disclosed plans to phase out its legacy verification program. A public statement in March indicated, “On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. To maintain your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can subscribe to Twitter Blue.”
The blue check mark was first introduced in 2009 to assist users in identifying genuine accounts of public figures, companies, and organizations, thereby reducing the risk of impersonation and parody accounts. This service was historically offered without any charges.
Shortly after Musk’s takeover last year, Twitter Blue was launched, including the check-mark badge as one of its premium features.
Over the weekend, Twitter reinstated verification badges for several high-profile celebrity accounts just days after the company removed the legacy checkmarks from users who opted not to pay.
This reinstatement is particularly notable in light of recent losses among Indian celebrities and politicians. Well-known figures, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had their verified statuses stripped away in the recent sweep aimed at non-paying users.
The reinstatement of blue ticks for these celebrities raises eyebrows, especially for prominent cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, who also experienced similar losses but have since regained their verification.
