Elon Musk’s long-anticipated initiative to eliminate free blue verification ticks from Twitter took effect on Thursday, creating a clear divide between paying users and those without access.
Accounts with the Twitter Verified checkmark began to stand out prominently, akin to a narrative where select individuals ascend to a privileged status, leaving a majority in the background.
The first notable absence was felt by the Pope, whose @Pontifex account, followed by 18.8 million users, lost its blue badge, potentially challenging the faith of its followers.
In contrast, the Dalai Lama maintained his verified status, continuing to hold onto his blue checkmark.
A pop-up message proudly declares, “Verified account,” when hovering over His Holiness’s badge, stating, “This account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number.”
Musk, whose tumultuous takeover of Twitter has significantly diminished his $44 billion (approximately Rs. 3,61,512 crore) investment, previously criticized the platform for what he termed a “lords & peasants system,” where journalists, celebrities, and politicians were afforded a badge suggesting trustworthiness.
Instead, Musk offered the blue checkmark to anyone willing to pay $8 per month (around Rs. 650), a move he claimed would “democratize journalism & empower the voice of the people.”
On Thursday, many high-profile accounts, alongside several reporters from AFP and other news agencies, experienced the removal of their checkmarks.
One reporter humorously referenced her lack of verification, exclaiming, “I’m naked!” upon discovering her once-coveted badge was gone.
The situation extended beyond the elite chatter to include well-known celebrities, many of whom found themselves without the mark indicating verification.
Concerns for Stephen King
Selena Gomez, with her 67 million followers, was rendered out of tune, while basketball star Steph Curry (17.3 million followers) found himself out of bounds.
Interestingly, some high-profile accounts remained unaffected, suggesting an unspoken balance at work.
Musical icon Rihanna continued to delight her 108.3 million followers, while NBA superstar LeBron James and his 52.7 million followers maintained their verified status.
This so-called Great Sorting did not spare even familial ties, with one notable American family experiencing a split: while Ivanka and Don Trump Jr. kept their blue ticks, Eric Trump and former President Donald Trump lost theirs.
The account associated with Donald Trump remains inactive, still showcasing a January 8, 2021 tweet stating, “To all those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”
No corner of celebrity life seemed untouched by the removal of verification badges.
Even JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, found herself without the blue tick, leaving her 14 million followers to question the authenticity of her interactions.
Nevertheless, not all was as it appeared. Stephen King, who had resolutely opposed paying for verification, expressed outrage upon discovering he still held his blue checkmark.
“My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t,” he protested. “My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.”
In response to a news article discussing the verification changes, Musk made a remark indicating he was “paying for a few personally,” and replied to King’s tweet with a casual “You’re welcome namaste.”
Technology News reported that LeBron James’s account also received a complimentary subscription, possibly without his consent, following an email from a Twitter employee extending the offer on behalf of Musk.
