The day finally arrived and Elon Musk fulfilled the promise that everyone feared on Twitter. The blue checkmark that distinguished verified accounts disappeared… at least for those who didn’t accept to pay a subscription. Hundreds of official accounts lost the only mark that distinguished them from others on the social network, regardless of whether they were internationally renowned artists or heads of state.
The blue checkmark is a blue symbol that appears in front of Twitter usernames. For a long time, it was not necessary to pay to have it. The process, on the other hand, consisted of submitting a request to verify that you were a recognized person and that it was you who managed the account. Artists, writers, journalists, presidents, and businessmen, among many others, had the distinctive mark until April 20th.
Everything changed with Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, who is also the CEO of other companies such as SpaceX and Tesla, and the moves he made within the social network. After a series of massive layoffs, Musk and his team announced Twitter Blue: a monthly subscription service that also came with the distinctive blue checkmark.
Now it was not necessary to be a recognized personality, but to have the money to prove it.
Among the personalities who lost their Twitter verification were Pope Francis, Rosalía, Elmo (yes, the Sesame Street character), and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. It remains to be seen whether those who lost the blue checkmark will pay for it… or will refuse to be part of that reduced elite on the platform.
Elmo will miss you, little blue check mark. But don’t worry everybody, Elmo is still Elmo! ❤️
— Elmo (@elmo) April 20, 2023
Blue Checkmark for Those Who Elon Musk Likes
However, among the chaos and confusion that came with the introduction of the feature within Twitter Blue, there were some people who did not pay for the blue checkmark. Nevertheless, they still kept it.
This was the case for writer Stephen King, the king of horror, who pointed out that he had not paid for the service and still maintained the mark:
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
Elon Musk responded that the free blue checkmark was something like a “courtesy”:
You’re welcome namaste 🙏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2023
Last October, the writer (who has been very vocal about figures of power with questionable attitudes) stated that paying $20 a month seemed stupid:
$20 a month to keep my blue check? Fuck that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I’m gone like Enron.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 31, 2022
Other personalities to whom Elon Musk “gifted” the blue checkmark are actor William Shatner and LeBron James, among others who have been openly critical of the CEO’s policies.
What is Twitter Blue?
Twitter Blue is a monthly subscription service officially introduced by Elon Musk to generate greater revenue for the social network. Twitter Blue users have certain advantages, such as the ability to write longer tweets (although that is really the appeal of long stories told in the form of threads) or the ability to edit tweets once they are published.
It hasn’t been very well received, though. Many people have refused to pay for it because that function could increase the gap between Twitter users: from a platform where all people were relatively equal to one where only a few have access to verification.