Twitter users are performing the last rites of their legacy Twitter
verified badge by bidding farewell in an emotional way, which the
microblogging website announced would start removing from April 1.
Since Elon Musk announced to charge $8 per month for the blue
checkmark (iOS and Android signups will cost $11 per month, due to app store
costs), users have severely criticised the decision.
Prior to
Elon’s takeover of the microblogging platform, checkmarks were used to
verify accounts of individuals and groups as active authentic and “notable”
accounts of interest.
Netizens are now mourning the loss of their
verified accounts by posting sad memes on social media platform.
Twitter starts removing the blue tick from legacy verified accounts from today, April 1. The platform announced last week that it is “winding down” its legacy verified program as its paid subscription now. So, lets wait for our turn and say good bye to "Blue Tick". #BlueTick pic.twitter.com/8rQHmM9HbO
— Kamran Ali (@akamran111) April 1, 2023
My legacy blue check has entered its final hours. Goodbye, old friend. pic.twitter.com/8Ei0itIdD4
— Mehreen Zahra-Malik (@mehreenzahra) March 31, 2023
Saying goodbye to my old school blue checkmark now before Elon relegates me tomorrow. Hope y'all enjoyed my few years of verified credibility. 🙄😅
— Chad O'Connor (@chadoconnor) April 1, 2023
Without my blue checkmark, I plan to just fade away into nothingness. Goodbye cruel world. I loved you more than you deserved and less than I ought. pic.twitter.com/3ZlI1qVTT2
— Michael Schottey (@Schottey) March 31, 2023
Time to say goodbye to more than a decade of little blue checkmark on Twitter I guess. The point of these to begin with were to communicate authenticity / avoid impersonation. So as a matter of principle it makes no sense to pay for one 🤷🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/lopo0ZkH7F
— Michelle Jobin (@michellejobin) March 31, 2023
Goodbye, blue checkmark. It was nice when everyone knew that it was really me. Just like it was nice when people weren't allowed to spread false news or make threats or harass people. Back when this was Publishing's Water Cooler and we could be playful and just chat. pic.twitter.com/kyGBVyfOlJ
— Delilah S. Dawson (@DelilahSDawson) March 31, 2023
Goodbye, blue checkmark 👋🏻 pic.twitter.com/hpeTAaIo0x
— Alexandra Leslie (@AlexandraLeslie) April 1, 2023
Goodbye silly little blue checkmark. You were a real one buddy. Kind of pic.twitter.com/I7jBnQYp2V
— Tim Koleto 小松原尊 (@Timkoleto) April 1, 2023
It was fun to tweet like I used to today, but it’s time to say goodbye to the blue checkmark. Enjoy Elon’s Twitter! pic.twitter.com/oy1uL5lrND
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) April 1, 2023
Well, it’s that time. Goodbye little blue checkmark of legacy verification. It’s been nice, but not give Melon $8 a month nice. pic.twitter.com/K7bQw6CA7e
— Kelly McCullough (@KellyDMcC) April 1, 2023
Goodbye, legitimate blue checkmark.
— John Colucci📺 (@johncolucci) April 1, 2023
I’ll miss you. pic.twitter.com/LtliKSkDys
Musk defends paid blue tick
Meanwhile, Elon Musk defended his controversial pay model for
Twitter, claiming that any social media platform that didn't follow suit
would fail because it would be swarmed by bots.
Musk made his
prediction on the eve of Twitter's April 1 ultimatum that verified accounts
with the cherished blue tick that had not forked over cash would lose
it.
"The fundamental challenge here is that it's (easy) to create
literally 10,000 or 100,000 fake Twitter accounts using just one computer at
home and with modern AI (artificial intelligence)," Musk told a question and
answer session on Twitter.
"That's the reason for really pressing
hard on verified where the verified requires a number from a reputable phone
carrier and a credit card," Musk said.
"My prediction is that any
so-called social media network that doesn't do this will fail," Musk
added.
The change in the system puts pressure on companies,
journalists and celebrities who used Twitter as their main channel of
communication and relied on the blue tick for credibility.
And it
also raises the spectre of imposters and jokesters paying for an officially
verified, but totally fake account.
