Twitter has announced that it will remove the blue verification ticks from the profiles of users who have not paid for its new verification program. Elon Musk stated that this change will take effect on 20th April 2023. Big names like SRK, Amitabh Bachchan, and Virat Kohli also lost their blue tick.
After numerous false starts, Twitter began fulfilling its promise to remove the blue checks from this Thursday from accounts that do not pay a monthly charge. Under the previous blue-check system, Twitter had approximately 300,000 verified users, many of whom were journalists, athletes, and public celebrities. The blue checks, which used to indicate that the account was confirmed by Twitter to be who it claimed to be, began to disappear from these people's accounts.
In a tweet from the official Twitter account, the company announced, "Tomorrow, 4/20, we are removing legacy verified checkmarks. To remain verified on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue".
The blue tick, which has been a coveted status symbol on the platform, indicates that a user's account is authentic and belongs to a public figure, celebrity, or brand. Previously, users were able to apply for verification, and if their application was approved, they would receive the blue tick for free. However, Twitter recently launched a paid verification program named Twitter Blue, which allowed users to bypass the application process by paying a fee. Elon Musk also stated that paying the subscription cost will result in additional benefits, such as more prominent placement in Twitter conversations.
Twitter has laid down some criteria for subscription and receiving or keeping the blue checkmark. These are the criteria to be fulfilled:
The checkmark will appear once the Twitter team reviews the Twitter Blue subscribed account and determines that it satisfies all the criteria.
The move has been met with mixed reactions from users, with some feeling that Twitter is unfairly favoring those who can afford to pay for verification. Others, however, believe that the change is necessary to ensure that the blue tick is only granted to accounts that truly deserve it.
It remains to be seen how this move will affect Twitter's user base and how it will impact the platform's overall credibility. However, it is clear that the blue tick will no longer be an attainable status symbol for those who are unwilling or unable to pay for it.