Twitter Blue Tick: Twitter Begins Removing Legacy Verification

Elon Musk Twitter

Bye bye blue check. Big changes for the blue bird, Twitter. They removed the so-called blue checkmark. Elon Musk's social media platform has begun purging the official check marks from users who have not paid for it's subscription service.

 

The move, that took effect Thursday, caused major confusion on the social media platform making it harder for Twitter users to distinguish between legitimate and fake accounts. 

The tick was originally a way to protect well-known people from impersonation or misinformation, but now anyone can pay for it. 

Several Twitter users had objected to the changes fearing the new requirements would encourage the spread of misinformation and fake news. 

Elon Musk had said that he wanted to get rid of what he described as a "Lords and peasants system." 

Many politicians have warned of the serious consequences this can have in the event of emergencies when people need verified and correct information. 

Beyonce, JK Rowling, Donald Trump, and the Pope are among high-profile figures that are losing their verification tick from their Twitter accounts. 300,000 verified users had the tick under the original blue check system. 

All those willing to render to Twitter will pay $1,000 monthly for companies, brands, government-affiliated agencies, and commercial accounts. While the CEO's, officials, and subsidiaries of such organizations will have to pay $50 a month. Those choosing the Twitter blue service will pay $8 a month. 

For now, it seems Musk is paying from his own pocket to keep the blue ticks of LeBron James, Stephen King, and William Shatner.