Twitter’s announcement of removing the blue check marks from verified users who are not paying for its subscription service, is slated to be the most momentous change to its core product since the acquisition by Elon Musk. The platform’s public indicator of an account’s authenticity is viewed as a significant issue by various security experts, who are predicting a potential “information integrity nightmare.” The elimination of the blue check mark from non-paying verified accounts will bring significant perplexity to Twitter’s authentication process, and it remains to be seen how the platform will tackle the ensuing conundrum.
Since its inception in 2009, Twitter has been verifying the accounts of celebrities, journalists, political figures, and brands, using the blue check mark as a symbol of verification. Nevertheless, Twitter has been questioned about its criteria for awarding the coveted blue check marks, with some people interpreting it as an elitist emblem. Moreover, some conservatives have been using the term “blue check” to mock their perceived liberal counterparts, further highlighting the symbol’s contentious nature.
In November, Twitter introduced a program where users paying for its monthly subscription service could display a blue check mark next to their name, in a bid to monetize this coveted symbol. However, several prominent personalities and influencers have declined to pay for the service they have previously enjoyed for free, and Twitter’s new policy will undoubtedly have a significant impact on how accounts are perceived on the platform.
As per the new rules, Twitter will enable organizations to pay for verification, which they can pass on to their employees. The pricing for this service starts at $1,000 a month, raising questions about the fairness of such a system. Nevertheless, Twitter’s top advertisers and major accounts will not have to pay for verification, leading to speculations about the platform’s motivation behind this policy. This change will undoubtedly create an added layer of burstiness in Twitter’s verification system, making it more diverse and potentially more complex.
