Twitter is reportedly in the process of discontinuing legacy verified accounts, having initiated a sweeping unfollowing of those previously verified. The official ‘@TwitterVerified’ account now shows that it is following “no one.”
Previously, Twitter had 420,000 legacy verified accounts in its following list.
As of April 1, Twitter signaled its intent to cease the legacy verification program and remove verification checkmarks from users who do not subscribe to Twitter Blue, its paid service. The recent unfollowing may indicate a transition in the platform’s approach, leaving uncertainty about its future engagement with those verified accounts.
According to a report from Variety, the removal of the verification checkmark will affect notable accounts verified prior to Elon Musk’s acquisition unless they opt for a Twitter Blue subscription or sign up for the business-oriented Twitter Verified Organizations plan.
Moving forward, only individuals subscribing to Twitter Blue will retain the blue checkmark, which costs $8 per month (approximately Rs. 700) through the web and $11 per month (around Rs. 900) for in-app purchases on iOS and Android.
Twitter recently expanded the availability of Twitter Blue globally.
“On April 1, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue,” the company announced via its official channels. However, details on handling accounts with “notable” mentioned remain unspecified.
To further distinguish accounts, Twitter has introduced a gold checkmark for companies and brands, along with a gray checkmark for government accounts. The new Twitter Verified Organizations program will have a subscription fee of $1,000 per month (approximately Rs. 81,800) in the U.S., along with an additional $50 per month (roughly Rs. 4,100) for each associated subaccount.
Verified accounts were first introduced by Twitter in 2009 to help users recognize genuine accounts belonging to celebrities, politicians, companies, news organizations, and others of public significance, thus minimizing the risk of impersonation.
After acquiring Twitter, Musk quickly integrated the subscription model of Twitter Blue, utilizing the checkmark as a premium feature.
