Twitter CEO Elon Musk has been threatening to remove “legacy” blue check marks for months. On April 20, the company finally did it.
Tomorrow, 4/20, we are removing legacy verified checkmarks. To remain verified on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue here: https://t.co/gzpCcwOXAX
Organizations can sign up for Verified Organizations here: https://t.co/YtPVNYypHU
— Twitter Verified (@verified) April 19, 2023
Legacy check users began to notice the change on Thursday afternoon. Celebrities from Kim Kardashian (75.1 million followers) to Selena Gomez (65 million) now have no official verification. The Pope is also out of luck.
they really took his check pic.twitter.com/KSyBRvc12m
— Tim Hogan (@timjhogan) April 20, 2023
Although Musk promised advertisers the app would not turn into a “free-for-all hellscape” last October, it’s unclear how Twitter will maintain a sense of legitimacy.
RELATED: ‘This Will Be a Nightmare’: Mark Cuban Slams Elon Musk’s New Twitter Verification System
Twitter users can purchase Twitter Blue for $8 a month. In addition to a “blue check,” subscribers can craft Tweets longer than 280 characters, edit Tweets, and upload videos up to 60 minutes long.
RELATED: More Than Half of Twitter’s Top Advertisers Have Dropped Out, According to a New Report
Still, Twitter users who lost their checks don’t seem to mind.
Blue check gone… I feel ok ???
— Garcelle Beauvais (@GarcelleB) April 20, 2023
bye blue check mark, the chaos continues.
— Andrew Horowitz (@adhorowi) April 20, 2023
I just realized the blue check is gone. Bye. ?? pic.twitter.com/LK27xtq09b
— Robert Hernandez (@webjournalist) April 20, 2023
legacy verified blue checks are gone
‘Verified’ notifications are now a spam filter! feel free to block everyone in there pic.twitter.com/WpWiKCNXLw
— Matt Binder (@MattBinder) April 20, 2023
my blue check is gone pic.twitter.com/jmNOtdc0oD
— Carrie Courogen (@carriecourogen) April 20, 2023
At least one celebrity, however, claims they seem to be subscribed to Twitter Blue even though they did sign up and they did not verify a phone number. Stephen King, who has been vocal about Twitter Blue, still has a blue check.
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
It’s unclear if this is Musk’s way of trolling the author or if it is a glitch, but based on Musk’s sense of humor, the former might be true.
