Beginning April 1, Twitter will start phasing out its legacy verification badges from user accounts as part of a shift towards a model in which only paid subscribers and members of authorized organizations will retain that status. This decision was announced by the San Francisco-based company via a tweet on Thursday. The removal of legacy verification marks is one of the first significant policy changes initiated by owner Elon Musk, who labeled the previous verification system as “corrupt” shortly after acquiring the platform late last year. While Musk has revised several decisions regarding the social network, he has consistently advocated for the elimination of the legacy verification system.
Twitter has incorporated the blue verification badge into its Twitter Blue subscription service, which Musk initially priced at $8 (approximately ₹600) per month. He now touts it as the optimal option for enhancing user experience and engagement on the platform. Musk claims that increasing the number of paying subscribers would also address Twitter’s issues with bot accounts. Subscribers to Twitter Blue are given higher visibility in replies and search results, which the company asserts aids in combatting scams and spam. Additionally, these subscribers experience fewer ads and have the ability to edit tweets.
The existing verification marks have historically included many public figures and journalists who were verified without needing to pay for a subscription. The legacy system played a crucial role in validating the authenticity of announcements and reports from these accounts, thereby enhancing Twitter’s reputation as a reliable news source.
Musk’s criticism of the former verification system has often been framed as part of his broader contempt for the media, which has been one of Twitter’s most active user groups holding verified status. This month, he set the email address press@twitter.com to auto-respond with a poop emoji, following a period in which it had largely ignored inquiries from journalists.
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