{{Short description|Identity management and paid subscription feature on Twitter/X}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{multiple image | perrow = 1 / 2 | total_width = 256 | image1 = Twitter Verified Badge.svg | image2 = Twitter Verified Badge Gold.svg | image3 = Twitter Verified Badge Gray.svg | alt1 = Blue eight-lobed badge with checkmark icon | caption1 = "Blue checkmark" verification badge, used by X Premium subscribers | caption2 = Gold badge used for Verified Organizations subscribers | alt2 = Gold-colored eight-lobed badge with checkmark icon | caption3 = Gray badge used for government accounts | alt3 = Gray eight-lobed badge with checkmark icon }} A '''blue check''' is used on social media platforms, notably X (formerly known as Twitter), to indicate the authenticity of an account.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web|last=Sawers|first=Paul|date=April 21, 2023|title=Twitter seemingly now requires all advertisers to have a verified checkmark|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/21/twitter-seemingly-now-requires-all-advertisers-to-have-a-verified-checkmark/|access-date=April 26, 2023|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422231656/https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/21/twitter-seemingly-now-requires-all-advertisers-to-have-a-verified-checkmark/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023}}</ref> Since November 2022, Twitter users whose accounts are at least 90 days old and have a verified phone number receive verification upon subscribing to X Premium or Verified Organizations; this status persists as long as the subscription remains active.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Mitchell |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Twitter Blue is back, letting you buy a blue checkmark again |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/12/23506335/twitter-blue-verified-checkmarks-return-impersonation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213001207/https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/12/23506335/twitter-blue-verified-checkmarks-return-impersonation |archive-date=December 13, 2022 |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
When introduced in June 2009, the system provided the site's readers with a means to distinguish genuine notable account holders, such as celebrities and organizations, from impostors or parodies.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Staff|first1=PCMag|title=Phew! Twitter Verifies Celebrity Tweets as Authentic|url=https://www.pcmag.com/archive/phew-twitter-verifies-celebrity-tweets-as-authentic-241349|access-date=February 6, 2021|work=PCMag|agency=AppScout|date=June 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206202337/https://www.pcmag.com/archive/phew-twitter-verifies-celebrity-tweets-as-authentic-241349|archive-date=February 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Cashmore|first1=Pete|title=Twitter Launches Verified Accounts|url=https://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2|access-date=February 6, 2021|work=Mashable|date=June 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615040324/https://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2|archive-date=June 15, 2009|quote=It'll also solve the entrenched problem of celebrity impersonations, which are confusing for users and unwelcome by those being impersonated.}}</ref> Until November 2022, a blue checkmark<ref name="howverify">{{Cite web|title=How to get verified on Twitter|url=https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/about-twitter-verified-accounts|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111194130/https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/about-twitter-verified-accounts |archive-date=November 11, 2022|access-date=November 12, 2022|publisher=Twitter}}</ref> displayed against an account name indicated that Twitter had taken steps to ensure that the account was actually owned by the person or organization whom it claimed to represent.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Manfredi|first=Lucas|date=July 16, 2020|title=Twitter's Blue Checkmark explained|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/twitters-blue-checkmark-explained|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Fox Business|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209152347/https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/twitters-blue-checkmark-explained}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kanalley|first=Craig|date=March 12, 2013|title=Why Twitter Verifies Users|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Huffington Post|archive-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927015328/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282.html}}</ref> The checkmark does not imply endorsement from Twitter, and does not mean that tweets from a verified account are necessarily accurate or truthful in any way.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Welch|first=Chris|date=July 17, 2018|title=Twitter says it doesn't 'have the bandwidth' to fix verification right now|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/17/17583624/twitter-cant-fix-verification-because-elections|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=The Verge|archive-date=January 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128084309/https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/17/17583624/twitter-cant-fix-verification-because-elections}}</ref> People with verified accounts on Twitter are often colloquially referred to as "blue checks" on social media and by reporters.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bishop|first=Rollin|date=March 30, 2017|title='Verified' is now a derogatory term on Twitter|url=https://theoutline.com/post/1323/verified-blue-checkmark-derogatory-insult-twitter|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=The Outline|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129082026/https://theoutline.com/post/1323/verified-blue-checkmark-derogatory-insult-twitter}}</ref>
In November 2022, the verification program was modified heavily by new owner Elon Musk, extending verification to any account with a verified phone number and an active subscription to an eligible X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue) plan. These changes faced criticism from users and the media, who believed that the changes would ease impersonation, and allow accounts spreading misleading information to feign credibility. In a related change, Twitter introduced additional gold and gray checkmarks, used by Verified Organizations and government-affiliated accounts, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter Blue is back. And gold checkmarks are here!|url=https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2022/twitter-blue-update|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226115721/https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2022/twitter-blue-update|archive-date=December 26, 2022|access-date=December 20, 2022|website=blog.twitter.com|language=en-us}}</ref> Twitter claims that the changes to verification are required to "reduce fraudulent accounts and bots".<ref name=":18" />
Twitter users who had been verified through the previous system were known as "legacy verified" accounts;<ref name="tcLegacyVerified">{{cite web|last=Bellan|first=Rebecca|date=December 12, 2022|title=Elon says X will remove all legacy verifications 'in a few months'|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/12/elon-says-twitter-will-remove-all-legacy-verifications-in-a-few-months/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213003412/https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/12/elon-says-twitter-will-remove-all-legacy-verifications-in-a-few-months/|archive-date=December 13, 2022|access-date=December 13, 2022|website=TechCrunch}}</ref> legacy verification was deprecated in April 2023, and stripped from accounts who do not meet the new payment requirements. Musk later implied that he had been personally paying for the X Premium subscriptions of several notable celebrities.<ref name="MilmoGuardian">{{cite news |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Elon Musk pays for Stephen King and LeBron James to keep Twitter blue ticks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/21/elon-musk-pays-stephen-king-lebron-james-keep-twitter-blue-ticks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423011026/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/21/elon-musk-pays-stephen-king-lebron-james-keep-twitter-blue-ticks |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web |last1=Peters |first1=Jay |date=April 20, 2023 |title=LeBron James didn't pay for his Twitter checkmark, but Elon Musk gave it to him anyway |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23691831/twitter-blue-verified-celebrity-lebron-james-stephen-king |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422224304/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23691831/twitter-blue-verified-celebrity-lebron-james-stephen-king |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
== Until November 2022 == In June 2009, after being criticized by Kanye West and sued by Tony La Russa over unauthorized accounts run by impersonators, the company launched their "Verified Accounts" program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2009/not-playing-ball.html|title=Not Playing Ball|first=Biz|last=Stone|date=June 6, 2009|website=Twitter|access-date=September 22, 2021|archive-date=April 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427151225/https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2009/not-playing-ball.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="verifiedhistory">{{cite news|last=Kanalley|first=Craig|title=Why Twitter Verifies Users: The History Behind the Blue Checkmark|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282.html|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Huffington Post|date=March 12, 2013|archive-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927015328/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Twitter stated that an account with a "blue tick" verification badge indicates "we've been in contact with the person or entity the account is representing and verified that it is approved".<ref name="verifiedlaunch">{{cite web|last=Cashmore|first=Pete|title=Twitter Launches Verified Accounts|website=Mashable|url=http://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2/|date=June 11, 2009|access-date=June 9, 2014|archive-date=April 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416180545/https://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> After the beta period, the company stated in their FAQ that it "proactively verifies accounts on an ongoing basis to make it easier for users to find who they're looking for" and that they "do not accept requests for verification from the general public".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts|title=FAQs about verified accounts|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719090643/https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts|archive-date=July 19, 2016}}</ref> Originally, Twitter took on the responsibility of reaching out to celebrities and other notable people to confirm their identities in order to establish a verified account.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Warfield|first=Katie|title=Mediated Interfaces: The Body on Social Media|publisher=Bloomsbury|pages=55}}</ref>
In July 2016, Twitter announced a public application process to grant verified status to an account "if it is determined to be of public interest" and that verification "does not imply an endorsement".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts|title=About verified accounts|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720094013/https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts|archive-date=July 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2016/announcing-an-application-process-for-verified-accounts-0.html|title=Announcing an Application Process for Verified Accounts|date=July 19, 2016|website=Twitter|access-date=September 22, 2021|archive-date=June 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621141545/https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2016/announcing-an-application-process-for-verified-accounts-0.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/how-to-get-verified-twitter-uk-account-blue-tick|title=Twitter opens verification to all|first=Matt|last=Burgess|magazine=Wired|date=July 20, 2016|access-date=September 16, 2016|archive-date=April 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427150245/https://www.wired.co.uk/article/how-to-get-verified-twitter-uk-account-blue-tick|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2016, the company began accepting requests for verification, but it was discontinued the same year. Twitter explained that the volume of requests for verified accounts had exceeded its ability to cope; rather, Twitter determines on its own whom to approach about verified accounts, limiting verification to accounts which are "authentic, notable, and active".<ref name="howverify" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Delo|first=Cotton|date=January 10, 2012|title=One Way to Get a Twitter 'Verified Account': Buy Ads|url=https://adage.com/article/digital/a-twitter-verified-account-buy-ads/231984|url-status=live|access-date=February 3, 2021|website=Ad Age|archive-date=February 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208221027/https://adage.com/article/digital/a-twitter-verified-account-buy-ads/231984}}</ref>
In November 2020, Twitter announced a relaunch of its verification system in 2021. According to the new policy, Twitter verifies six different types of accounts; for three of them (companies, brands, and influential individuals like activists), the existence of a Wikipedia page will be one criterion for showing that the account has "Off Twitter Notability".<ref>{{cite web|last=Harrison|first=Stephen|date=December 4, 2020|title=Twitter Wants to Use Wikipedia to Help Determine Who Gets a Blue Checkmark|url=https://slate.com/technology/2020/12/twitter-checkmark-verification-wikipedia-notability.html|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Slate Magazine|archive-date=March 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325175408/https://slate.com/technology/2020/12/twitter-checkmark-verification-wikipedia-notability.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Controversy === On June 21, 2014, actor William Shatner raised an issue with several Engadget editorial staff and their verification status on Twitter. Besides the site's social media editor, John Colucci, Shatner also targeted several junior members of the staff for being "nobodies", unlike some of his actor colleagues who did not bear such distinction. Shatner claimed Colucci and the team were bullying him when giving a text interview to Mashable.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ulanoff|first=Lance|url=http://mashable.com/2014/06/24/william-shatner-twitter-verified/|title=William Shatner: My Problem With Twitter's Verified Accounts|work=Engadget|date=June 24, 2014|access-date=August 17, 2014|archive-date=August 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083206/http://mashable.com/2014/06/24/william-shatner-twitter-verified/|url-status=live}}</ref> Over a month later, Shatner continued to discuss the issue on his Tumblr page,<ref>{{cite web|last=Shatner|first=William|url=http://williamshatner.tumblr.com/post/93274499035/abusing-verification-segueing-with-shatner|title=Abusing Verification – Segueing with Shatner|work=Engadget|date=July 29, 2014|access-date=August 17, 2014|archive-date=August 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819102930/http://williamshatner.tumblr.com/post/93274499035/abusing-verification-segueing-with-shatner|url-status=live}}</ref> to which Engadget replied by defending its team and discussing the controversy surrounding the social media verification.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Nicole|url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/07/31/the-perks-of-being-somebody-online/|title=The perks of being 'somebody' online|work=Engadget|date=July 31, 2014|access-date=August 27, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913124333/https://www.engadget.com/2014/07/31/the-perks-of-being-somebody-online/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Twitter's practice and process for verifying accounts came under scrutiny again in 2017 after the company verified the account of white supremacist and far-right political activist, Jason Kessler. Many who criticized Twitter's decision to verify Kessler's account saw this as a political act on the company's behalf.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bowles|first=Nellie|date=November 9, 2017|title=Twitter, Facing Another Uproar, Pauses Its Verification Process|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/09/technology/jason-kessler-twitter-verification.html|access-date=April 16, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416055131/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/09/technology/jason-kessler-twitter-verification.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In response, Twitter put its verification process on hold. The company tweeted, "Verification was meant to authenticate identity & voice but it is interpreted as an endorsement or an indicator of importance. We recognize that we have created this confusion and need to resolve it. We have paused all general verifications while we work and will report back soon."<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=928654369771356162|user=twittersupport|title=Verification was meant to authenticate identity & voice but it is interpreted as an endorsement or an indicator of importance. We recognize that we have created this confusion and need to resolve it. We have paused all general verifications while we work and will report back soon|date=November 9, 2017|access-date=April 16, 2021}}</ref>
As of November 2017, Twitter continued to deny verification of Julian Assange's account following his requests.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Twitter's Authentication Policy Is a Verified Mess|url=https://www.wired.com/story/twitters-authentication-policy-is-a-verified-mess/|date=November 10, 2017|first=Nitasha|last=Tiku|magazine=Wired|access-date=September 22, 2021|archive-date=August 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828174246/https://www.wired.com/story/twitters-authentication-policy-is-a-verified-mess/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In November 2019, Dalit activists of India alleged that higher-caste people get Twitter verification easily and trended hashtags #CancelAllBlueTicksInIndia and #CasteistTwitter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/cancelallblueticksinindia-trends-on-twitter-netizens-slam-caste-based-discrimination/articleshow/71939831.cms?from=mdr|title=#CancelAllBlueTicksInIndia trends on Twitter, netizens slam caste-based discrimination|date=November 6, 2019|work=The Economic Times|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308163247/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/cancelallblueticksinindia-trends-on-twitter-netizens-slam-caste-based-discrimination/articleshow/71939831.cms?from=mdr|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/twitter-trend-cancelallblueticksinindia-dalits-accuse-twitter-of-casteism-discrimination|title=#cancelallBlueTicksinIndia Trends As Twitter Faces Caste Storm|date=November 6, 2019|website=The Quint|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308155207/https://www.thequint.com/news/india/twitter-trend-cancelallblueticksinindia-dalits-accuse-twitter-of-casteism-discrimination|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/why-dalit-activists-are-furious-with-casteist-twitter|title=Why Dalit activists are furious with 'casteist' Twitter|website=Free Press Journal|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308060835/https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/why-dalit-activists-are-furious-with-casteist-twitter|url-status=live}}</ref> Critics have said that the company's verification process is not transparent and causes digital marginalisation of already marginalised communities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/caste/twitter-casteism-2|title='The Blue Janeu': As Critics Cry 'Casteism', Twitter Ducks for Cover|website=The Wire|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302113808/https://thewire.in/caste/twitter-casteism-2|url-status=live}}</ref> Twitter India rejected the allegations, calling them "impartial" and working on a "{{nowrap|case-by-case}}" policy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/twitter-reacts-to-accusations-of-caste-bias-says-its-impartial|title=Twitter reacts to accusations of caste bias, says it's 'impartial'|website=Free Press Journal|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308085832/https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/twitter-reacts-to-accusations-of-caste-bias-says-its-impartial|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/tech/twitter-cites-case-by-case-verification-policy-as-casteism-allegations-ravage-platform-2376813.html|title=Twitter Cites 'Case-By-Case' Verification Policy as Casteism Allegations Ravage Platform|website=News18|date=November 7, 2019|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308141414/https://www.news18.com/news/tech/twitter-cites-case-by-case-verification-policy-as-casteism-allegations-ravage-platform-2376813.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Since November 2022 == On April 20, 2023, Twitter (known as X since July 2023) began removing verification status for users of public interest, causing a controversy among Twitter users. The website's system was altered, allowing any individual to receive verification for a monthly fee, an act which saw significant criticism.
Following the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk on October 28, 2022, Musk told Twitter employees to introduce paid verification by November 7 through Twitter Blue. ''The Verge'' reported that the updated Blue subscription would cost $19.99 per month, and users would lose their verification status if they did not join within 90 days.<ref name="TheVerge22-10-30">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/30/23431931/twitter-paid-verification-elon-musk-blue-monthly-subscription|title=Twitter is planning to start charging $20 per month for verification|date=October 30, 2022|last=Heath|first=Alex|work=The Verge|access-date=October 30, 2022|archive-date=December 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224195748/https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/30/23431931/twitter-paid-verification-elon-musk-blue-monthly-subscription|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Spangler|first1=Todd|title=Elon Musk Reportedly Wants Twitter Verified Users to Pay $20 per Month — or Lose Their Blue Check Marks|url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/twitter-verified-users-subscription-price-blue-check-mark-musk-1235418285/|website=Variety|access-date=November 10, 2022|date=October 31, 2022|archive-date=November 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110043949/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/twitter-verified-users-subscription-price-blue-check-mark-musk-1235418285/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Humphries|first1=Matthew|title=Twitter Expected to Start Charging $20 Per Month for a Blue Checkmark|url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/twitter-expected-to-start-charging-20-per-month-for-a-blue-checkmark|website=PCMAG|date=October 31, 2022 |access-date=November 10, 2022|archive-date=November 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110044010/https://www.pcmag.com/news/twitter-expected-to-start-charging-20-per-month-for-a-blue-checkmark|url-status=live}}</ref> Following backlash, Musk tweeted, in response to author Stephen King,<ref>{{Cite tweet|author=Elon Musk|user=elonmusk|number=1587312517679878144|title=@StephenKing We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8?}}</ref> a lowered $8 price on {{nowrap|November 1, 2022}}.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Spangler|first1=Todd|title=Elon Musk Suggests Charging $8 per Month for Twitter Verification After Backlash to Reported $20 Fee|url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/elon-musk-suggests-8-dollars-per-month-twitter-verification-backlash-1235419369/|website=Variety|access-date=November 10, 2022|date=November 1, 2022|archive-date=November 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110043950/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/elon-musk-suggests-8-dollars-per-month-twitter-verification-backlash-1235419369/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Assaly|first1=Richie|title=Elon Musk's plans to charge $8 a month for verification on Twitter receives heavy backlash|url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2022/11/02/elon-musks-plans-to-charge-8-a-month-for-verification-on-twitter-is-receiving-backlash.html|website=thestar.com|access-date=November 10, 2022|date=November 2, 2022|archive-date=November 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110043950/https://www.thestar.com/business/2022/11/02/elon-musks-plans-to-charge-8-a-month-for-verification-on-twitter-is-receiving-backlash.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Twitter confirmed the new price of $7.99 per month on November 5, 2022.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wiggers|first1=Kyle|title=Twitter begins rolling out $7.99 Twitter Blue plan with verification, fewer ads|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/05/twitter-begins-rolling-out-7-99-twitter-blue-plan-with-verification-fewer-ads/|website=TechCrunch|access-date=November 6, 2022|date=November 5, 2022|archive-date=November 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221105232258/https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/05/twitter-begins-rolling-out-7-99-twitter-blue-plan-with-verification-fewer-ads/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Roth|first1=Emma|title=Elon Musk's $7.99 Twitter Blue with verification is 'coming soon' on iOS|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/5/23442149/twitter-blue-checkmark-ios-update-elon-musk|website=The Verge|access-date=November 6, 2022|date=November 5, 2022|archive-date=November 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106015154/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/5/23442149/twitter-blue-checkmark-ios-update-elon-musk|url-status=live}}</ref> The new verification system began rollout on {{nowrap|November 9, 2022}}, a day after the 2022 United States elections.<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Sullivan|first1=Donie|last2=Korn|first2=Jennifer|title=Elon Musk delays $8 'blue check' Twitter verification plan until after the midterms {{!}} CNN Business|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/06/tech/twitter-verification-delay-midterms/index.html|website=CNN|access-date=November 9, 2022|date=November 6, 2022|archive-date=November 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108173944/https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/06/tech/twitter-verification-delay-midterms/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The decision to delay its rollout was to address concerns about users potentially spreading misinformation about voting results by posing as news outlets and lawmakers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mac|first1=Ryan|last2=Conger|first2=Kate|last3=Isaac|first3=Mike|title=Twitter Is Said to Delay Changes to Check Mark Badges Until After Midterms|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/06/technology/twitter-verification-check-marks.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes|website=The New York Times|access-date=November 9, 2022|date=November 6, 2022|archive-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109201014/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/06/technology/twitter-verification-check-marks.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes|url-status=live}}</ref>
At the same time, Twitter introduced a secondary gray "Official" label on some high-profile accounts, but removed them hours after launch.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wile|first1=Rob|title=Twitter launches $7.99 subscription, which lets users pay for a checkmark|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/twitter-adds-removes-gray-official-tag-big-accounts-rcna56392|website=NBC News|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109174004/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/twitter-adds-removes-gray-official-tag-big-accounts-rcna56392|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TheVergeSato">{{cite web|last=Sato|first=Mia|title=Twitter's new double-check verification disappears, Elon Musk says he 'killed it'|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23449422/elon-musk-twitter-blue-official-verified-gray-checks-disappear|website=The Verge|access-date=November 9, 2022|date=November 9, 2022|archive-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109174212/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23449422/elon-musk-twitter-blue-official-verified-gray-checks-disappear|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet|author=Elon Musk|user=elonmusk|number=1590383366213611522|title=@MKBHD I just killed it}}</ref> Less than 48 hours later, Twitter reinstated the gray "Official" label,<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 11, 2022|title=Twitter Blue signups unavailable after problems with fake accounts|url=https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/twitter-gray-official-labels-return-for-some/507-c13e9cf4-0ae2-47fd-a04c-badc0b0eb65d|access-date=November 12, 2022|website=abc10.com|archive-date=November 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130020051/https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/twitter-gray-official-labels-return-for-some/507-c13e9cf4-0ae2-47fd-a04c-badc0b0eb65d|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter brings back "official" label after verified impersonator accounts run wild|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-official-label-elon-musk-impersonation/|access-date=November 11, 2022|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=November 11, 2022|archive-date=December 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226075936/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-official-label-elon-musk-impersonation/|url-status=live}}</ref> after multiple users were suspended for deliberately impersonating reporters and high-profile athletes like LeBron James.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tolentino|first1=Daysia|last2=Rosenblatt|first2=Kalhan|title=Lebron James and other athletes impersonated by verified Twitter accounts|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/lebron-james-athletes-impersonated-verified-twitter-accounts-rcna56483|website=NBC News|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109214345/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/lebron-james-athletes-impersonated-verified-twitter-accounts-rcna56483|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Marcin|first1=Tim|title=People started spreading fake news on Twitter the instant they could buy a blue check|url=https://mashable.com/article/fake-news-blue-check-tweets-verification|website=Mashable|access-date=November 9, 2022|date=November 9, 2022|archive-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109220247/http://mashable.com/article/fake-news-blue-check-tweets-verification|url-status=live}}</ref> A viral tweet from an account purporting to be the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company caused the company's stock to fall after announcing "insulin is free now".<ref>{{cite web|last1=DiBenedetto|first1=Chase|title=Insulin producer Eli Lilly sees stock drop because of a fake blue check tweet|url=https://mashable.com/article/eli-lilly-stock-dip-twitter|website=Mashable|access-date=November 14, 2022|date=November 12, 2022|archive-date=November 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113235104/https://mashable.com/article/eli-lilly-stock-dip-twitter|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Bruce Y.|title=Fake Eli Lilly Twitter Account Claims Insulin Is Free, Stock Falls 4.37%|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2022/11/12/fake-eli-lilly-twitter-account-claims-insulin-is-free-stock-falls-43/?sh=15b147b941a3|website=Forbes|access-date=November 14, 2022|archive-date=November 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115001100/https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2022/11/12/fake-eli-lilly-twitter-account-claims-insulin-is-free-stock-falls-43/?sh=15b147b941a3|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WaPo22-11-14">{{cite news|last=Harwell|first=Drew|date=November 14, 2022|title=A fake tweet sparked panic at Eli Lilly and may have cost Twitter millions|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/14/twitter-fake-eli-lilly/|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 15, 2022|archive-date=November 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115000423/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/14/twitter-fake-eli-lilly/|url-status=live|url-access=limited}}</ref> As a result, Twitter disabled new Blue subscriptions on {{nowrap|November 11, 2022}}.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Zahn|first1=Max|title=Twitter's $8 verification option appears to be unavailable for some users|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/twitters-verification-option-appears-unavailable-users/story?id=93116125|website=ABC News|access-date=November 11, 2022|date=November 11, 2022|archive-date=November 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111192244/https://abcnews.go.com/Business/twitters-verification-option-appears-unavailable-users/story?id=93116125|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ray|first1=Siladitya|title=Twitter Blue: Signups For Paid Verification Appear Suspended After Impersonator Chaos|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/11/11/twitter-blue-new-signups-for-paid-verification-appear-suspended-after-impersonator-chaos/?sh=788be97e385c|website=Forbes|access-date=November 11, 2022|date=November 11, 2022|archive-date=November 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111202451/https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/11/11/twitter-blue-new-signups-for-paid-verification-appear-suspended-after-impersonator-chaos/?sh=788be97e385c|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Announcement === In October 2022, Casey Newton of ''Platformer'' reported that executives at Twitter began discussing the possibility of users being forced to pay for Twitter Blue in order to keep their verification status.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=October 30, 2022 |title=Elon's first big move: pay to remain verified on Twitter |url=https://www.platformer.news/p/elons-first-big-move-pay-to-remain |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422224900/https://www.platformer.news/p/elons-first-big-move-pay-to-remain |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Platformer}}</ref> Musk publicly announced that verification was "being revamped right now" after Newton's article; according to ''The Verge'', Twitter planned to increase the price of Twitter Blue from {{USD|4.99}} per month to {{USD|19.99}} per month. Users would have had 90 days to subscribe or face losing their verification status, and employees were told to implement paid verification by November 9 or risk getting fired.<ref name="TheVerge22-10-30" /> Upon the news that Twitter Blue would cost {{USD|19.99}} per month, author Stephen King expressed displeasure towards Twitter and stated that he would leave. Musk, replying to King's tweet, proposed that the service should cost {{USD|7.99}} instead. In a separate tweet, Musk wrote that Twitter Blue subscribers would receive priority in replies, mentions, and search, fewer advertisements, and longer audio and video.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Mitchell |last2=Peters |first2=Jay |date=November 2022 |title=Elon Musk will let you pay $8 to be a verified 'lord' on Twitter |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/1/23435092/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-cost-ads-search |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421203113/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/1/23435092/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-cost-ads-search |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
Although paid verification was expected to be launched by November 7, the reintroduction of Twitter Blue was delayed until after the 2022 United States elections on November 9, according to a memo obtained by ''The New York Times''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=November 6, 2023 |title=Twitter's delaying the launch of Blue with verification until after the elections |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/6/23443520/twitter-delaying-launch-blue-with-verification-after-midterm-elections-elon-musk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330144126/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/6/23443520/twitter-delaying-launch-blue-with-verification-after-midterm-elections-elon-musk |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> The announcement of paid verification resulted in several accounts facetiously impersonating Musk, such as those of comedians Kathy Griffin and Sarah Silverman, being suspended. In response, Musk announced that impersonators using Twitter Blue "will be permanently suspended".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |date=November 6, 2022 |title=Elon Musk's response to fake verified Elon Twitter accounts: a new permanent ban policy for impersonation |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/6/23443871/elon-musk-twitter-permaban-impersonation-parody |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324205113/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/6/23443871/elon-musk-twitter-permaban-impersonation-parody |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> An "official" label was announced on November 8 for notable accounts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Twitter's solution for ruining verification is another check mark |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/8/23448184/twitter-verification-official-checkmark-gray-blue |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324205113/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/8/23448184/twitter-verification-official-checkmark-gray-blue |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Hours after the label began rolling out, Musk tweeted that he "killed" the label.<ref name="TheVergeSato" />
Accounts that had been verified through the previous system were renamed to "legacy verified", with Musk calling the previous system "corrupt and nonsensical" in a tweet, and stating the blue checkmarks on those accounts would be removed "in a few months".<ref name="tcLegacyVerified" /><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1602407011106361362 |user=elonmusk |title=@micsolana In a few months, we will remove all legacy blue checks. The way in which they were given out was corrupt and nonsensical. |author=Elon Musk}}</ref> Musk claimed that the impersonation issue was resolved by manually reviewing all applications,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lerman |first=Rachel |date=November 25, 2022 |title=Musk plans Twitter check mark feature again, this time with more colors |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/25/musk-twitter-verified-check-marks/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202105921/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/25/musk-twitter-verified-check-marks/ |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |access-date=February 25, 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> but ''The Washington Post'' tech columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler was able to create an impersonation account of senator Ed Markey,{{efn|This was done with the senator's consent.<ref name="wapo_second_verified">{{Cite news|last=Fowler|first=Geoffrey A.|date=January 5, 2023|title=Twitter said it fixed 'verification.' So I impersonated a senator (again).|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/01/05/twitter-blue-verification/|url-access=limited|access-date=April 23, 2023|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207115737/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/01/05/twitter-blue-verification/|url-status=live}}</ref>}} which was promptly verified after subscribing to Twitter Blue and only suspended after Fowler's story was published.<ref name="wapo_second_verified" />
On December 12, 2022, Twitter Blue was relaunched again with some changes, including an increased price of $11 for users who sign up through iOS devices to compensate for the 30% cut imposed by Apple.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Twitter's paid blue tick re-launches after pause |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63938566 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224191509/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63938566 |archive-date=December 24, 2022 |access-date=December 12, 2022 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Twitter stated that only Twitter accounts older than 90{{nbsp}}days and with a confirmed phone number are able to subscribe and Blue checkmarks are issued once Twitter reviews the account, and any changes to the profile "will result in the loss of the blue checkmark" until Twitter can review the account again.<ref name=":2" /> The "Official" labels were replaced with Verified Organizations, which are displayed with a gold checkmark and square-shaped avatars (as opposed to circular avatars for all other accounts): this program costs $1,000 per month, with Verified Organizations able to add verification to affiliated accounts for an additional fee of $50 per month for each account.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schroeder |first=Stan |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Twitter now lets businesses handle their employees' blue ticks, for a hefty price |url=https://mashable.com/article/twitter-verified-organizations |access-date=May 4, 2023 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref> Gray checkmarks were also added for government accounts on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wiggers |first1=Kyle |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Twitter launches Blue for Business, grants gold checkmarks to 'corporate entities' |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/12/twitter-launches-blue-for-business-grants-gold-checkmarks-to-corporate-entities/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213003136/https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/12/twitter-launches-blue-for-business-grants-gold-checkmarks-to-corporate-entities/ |archive-date=December 13, 2022 |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=TechCrunch}}</ref>
=== Impersonation attempts === Despite a seven-page document written by Twitter's content moderation team,<ref name="TALRoth">{{Cite podcast |title=Going Down With the Censorships |website=This American Life |date=April 21, 2023 |url=https://www.thisamericanlife.org/797/what-i-was-thinking-as-we-were-sinking/act-two-3 |access-date=April 30, 2023 |archive-date=April 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430183612/https://www.thisamericanlife.org/797/what-i-was-thinking-as-we-were-sinking/act-two-3 |url-status=live |last=Newton |first=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton}}</ref> on November 9, Twitter Blue launched with verification exclusively on iOS.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Elon Musk's Twitter Blue with verification is now live |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23448317/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-live-ios |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330163243/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23448317/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-live-ios |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Upon introducing paid verification, various individuals in sports Twitter were impersonated, such as sports writer Adam Schefter and basketball player LeBron James, with tweets announcing the supposed ousting of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels or James' trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dator |first=James |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Sports Twitter is now a verified hellhole thanks to Elon Musk |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2022/11/9/23450014/sports-twitter-parody-accounts-elon-musk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223204431/https://www.sbnation.com/2022/11/9/23450014/sports-twitter-parody-accounts-elon-musk |archive-date=December 23, 2022 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=SB Nation}}</ref> As impersonation accounts began appearing for Nintendo and Tesla—the latter being owned by Musk—the official label returned.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopatto |first=Elizabeth |date=November 10, 2022 |title=Twitter reactivated the 'official' gray check for accounts that are actually verified |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/10/23452625/twitter-verified-official-blue-gray-check |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404145101/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/10/23452625/twitter-verified-official-blue-gray-check |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Other individuals and companies impersonated include former president Donald Trump, video game company Valve, and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Mario flipped off Twitter for nearly two hours with the blessing of Musk's 'verification' |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23450289/twitter-impersonators-official-mario-musk-jesus-valve |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422224605/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/9/23450289/twitter-impersonators-official-mario-musk-jesus-valve |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> One account impersonating the beverage corporation PepsiCo praised the superiority of Coca-Cola.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mac |first1=Ryan |last2=Mullin |first2=Benjamin |last3=Conger |first3=Kate |last4=Isaac |first4=Mike |date=November 10, 2022 |title=Twitter Users Create Havoc by Impersonating Brands |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/technology/twitter-blue-fake-accounts.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111221530/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/technology/twitter-blue-fake-accounts.html |archive-date=November 11, 2022 |access-date=April 23, 2022 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Twitter paused signups for Twitter Blue on November 11; according to a Slack message obtained by ''Platformer'' reporter Zoë Schiffer, the company paused subscriptions to deal with impersonation attempts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vincent |first=James |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Twitter Blue signups disappear a day after fakes and mayhem |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/11/23452985/twitter-blue-subscription-service-unavailable-error-message |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324002352/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/11/23452985/twitter-blue-subscription-service-unavailable-error-message |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Musk believed that impersonation would be resolved if Apple handed over the credit card information of Twitter Blue subscribers; then head of trust and safety Yoel Roth explained that Apple would not oblige to such a request.<ref name="TALRoth" />
''The Washington Post'' published a report on November 11 detailing how reporter Geoffrey Fowler was, with permission from United States senator Ed Markey, impersonating a U.S. senator, noting that a bug in Twitter's iOS app made the checkmarks for Markey's official account and the impersonation account virtually indistinguishable.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fowler |first=Geoffrey |date=November 11, 2022 |title=We got Twitter 'verified' in minutes posing as a comedian and a senator |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/11/twitter-blue-checkmark/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331232138/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/11/twitter-blue-checkmark/ |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Markey, who has publicly refuted the safety of Tesla's self-driving technology, publicly debated with Musk and stated that Congress would take action against Twitter if Musk did not.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zeitchik |first=Steven |date=November 13, 2022 |title=Sen. Edward Markey and Musk exchange barbs on impersonation scandal |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/13/elon-musk-markey-twitter-tesla/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330073051/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/13/elon-musk-markey-twitter-tesla/ |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
On April 24, 2023, a parody account of the defunct Disney Junior channel in the United Kingdom was verified with a gold checkmark.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whittock |first1=Jesse |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Fake Disney Junior Twitter Account With Gold Tick Suspended — But Not Before Using Profanities And Racial Slur |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/fake-disney-junior-uk-twitter-account-gold-tick-suspended-1235334732/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=Deadline}}</ref> The account, which tweeted profanities and claimed that ''South Park'' and ''Family Guy'' would be coming to Disney Junior,<ref name="varietydisneyjr">{{cite magazine |last=Yossman |first=K. J. |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Twitter Gave a Fake Disney Junior Account That Uses Racial Slurs a Gold Checkmark Verification |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/global/twitter-fake-disney-junior-gold-checkmark-verification-1235592264/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |magazine=Variety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424110632/https://variety.com/2023/digital/global/twitter-fake-disney-junior-gold-checkmark-verification-1235592264/ |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> became viral<ref>{{cite web |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Twitter gives fake Disney account verified status |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65374723 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=BBC News}}</ref> and was later suspended.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barr |first1=Kyle |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Twitter Gave a Gold Checkmark to a Fake, Foul-Mouthed Disney Account |url=https://gizmodo.com/twitter-gold-checkmark-disney-jr-elon-musk-1850367844 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}</ref>
==== Eli Lilly and Company tweet ==== {{Tweet | image = Eli Lilly and Company.svg | name = Eli Lilly and Company | username = EliLillyandCo | unverified = y | date = November 10, 2022 | text = We are excited to announce insulin is free now. | reference = <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/15-fake-twitter-accounts-elon-musk-chaos-verification-1849771209 |title=15 Fake Verified Twitter Accounts Causing Absolute Chaos Right Now |date=November 10, 2022 |work=Gizmodo |access-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329185225/https://gizmodo.com/15-fake-twitter-accounts-elon-musk-chaos-verification-1849771209 |url-status=live }}</ref> | left = y }}
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act passed, requiring companies to cap the price of insulin at {{USD|35}} per month for Medicare.<ref name="buzzfeedinsulin">{{Cite web |last=Notopoulos |first=Katie |date=March 1, 2023 |title=Eli Lilly Reduced The Price Of Insulin To $35 Per Month, And This Guy Who Trolled The Company Can Take Some Credit |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/eli-lilly-insulin-price-twitter-blue-prank |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421075447/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/eli-lilly-insulin-price-twitter-blue-prank |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=BuzzFeed News}}</ref> On November 10, a Twitter account impersonating the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company—one of the three largest manufacturers of insulin—posted a tweet stating that insulin would be made free.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Kyle |date=November 14, 2022 |title=How Much Did Twitter's Verification Chaos Cost Insulin Maker Eli Lilly and Twitter Itself? |url=https://gizmodo.com/twitter-eli-lilly-elon-musk-insulin-1849779323 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411192926/https://gizmodo.com/twitter-eli-lilly-elon-musk-insulin-1849779323 |archive-date=April 11, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Gizmodo}}</ref> According to ''The Washington Post'', Twitter failed to respond to the company for several hours. The incident resulted in Eli Lilly pulling advertisements from Twitter. United States senator Bernie Sanders used the tweet to highlight the price of insulin as other users began creating satirical accounts jovially apologizing for making insulin free, with one such account writing, "Humalog is now $400. We can do this whenever we want and there's nothing you can do about it".<ref name="WaPo22-11-14" />
The identity of the user who posted the tweet remained unknown until November 22, when Sean Morrow, a 34-year-old writer for the media organization More Perfect Union, admitted to operating the account and writing the tweet. In a video, Morrow stated that he used the account of the Mothman running for the United States Senate for West Virginia, and put that the account was a parody in its biography. Morrow took the video to detail the history of insulin manufacturing and the monopolization of the insulin industry. Eli Lilly further lowered the price of insulin in March 2023.<ref name="buzzfeedinsulin" />
=== Reintroduction of verification === On November 25, Musk announced that verification would be split into separate checkmarks for companies (in gold), government institutions (in gray), with all other entities retaining their blue checkmarks, as early as December 2. A separate tweet also stated that individuals could have a secondary logo for any organizations they may be a part of.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=November 25, 2022 |title=Elon Musk says Twitter will begin manually authenticating Blue, Grey, and Gold accounts as soon as next week |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/25/23477550/twitter-manual-verification-blue-checkmark-gold-grey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324114629/https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/25/23477550/twitter-manual-verification-blue-checkmark-gold-grey |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Continuing from Musk's idea of company employees receiving an icon for their employers, Twitter announced Blue for Business on December 19. In spite of an official release, venture capital firm Craft Ventures appeared to already have the icons.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Mitchell |last2=Peters |first2=Jay |date=December 19, 2022 |title=Twitter announces 'Blue for Business' to help identify brands and their employees |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/19/23517733/twitter-blue-for-business-brands-affiliation-gray-checkmark-badge |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330202426/https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/19/23517733/twitter-blue-for-business-brands-affiliation-gray-checkmark-badge |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
The rollout of government labels resulted in the accounts of Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and minister of foreign affairs Anniken Huitfeldt being labeled as affiliated with Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2022 |title=Norway asks Twitter to remove Nigeria labels |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/twitter-norway/norway-asks-twitter-to-remove-nigeria-labels-idUKL1N3330N4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424050319/https://www.reuters.com/article/twitter-norway/norway-asks-twitter-to-remove-nigeria-labels-idUKL1N3330N4 |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref> On January 5, Fowler was once again able to impersonate Markey, with Barreto Fetterman, senator John Fetterman's wife, thanking the impersonator rather than Markey himself. The report defied Musk's claim that Twitter Blue subscribers would be manually verified and shows how impersonators still persist on the platform despite phone number verification and wait times.<ref name="wapo_second_verified" />
== State-affiliated media label controversy == On April 5, 2023, the Twitter account for National Public Radio (NPR) received a label that it was "state-affiliated", despite the fact it receives less than 1% of its funding from the government; Voice of America (VOA), a state-affiliated media arm of the United States, did not receive a label. NPR CEO John Lansing condemned Twitter for the labeling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fischer |first=Sara |date=April 5, 2023 |title=NPR CEO blasts Twitter for "US state-affiliated media" label |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/04/05/npr-twitter-state-affiliated-media-label |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421185656/https://www.axios.com/2023/04/05/npr-twitter-state-affiliated-media-label |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Axios}}</ref> A similar label was added to Public Broadcasting Station's (PBS) Twitter account on April 8. According to PBS, the broadcaster has no intention to use its Twitter account after receiving the label.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fischer |first=Sara |date=April 12, 2023 |title=PBS stops tweeting after Musk adds "government-funded" label |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/04/12/pbs-twitter-government-funded-label |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422231853/https://www.axios.com/2023/04/12/pbs-twitter-government-funded-label |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Axios}}</ref> NPR announced it had quit Twitter on April 12 after the label was changed to "government-affiliated".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=April 12, 2023 |title=NPR quits Twitter after being falsely labeled as 'state-affiliated media' |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169269161/npr-leaves-twitter-government-funded-media-label |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422231851/https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169269161/npr-leaves-twitter-government-funded-media-label |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=NPR}}</ref> The decision was a reversal of the company's previous treatment towards NPR, which it cited as an example of a public news organization that is not state-affiliated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shapiro |first=Ariel |date=April 12, 2023 |title=NPR becomes first major news organization to leave Twitter |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/12/23680394/npr-leaves-twitter-elon-musk-bbc-substack |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421202557/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/12/23680394/npr-leaves-twitter-elon-musk-bbc-substack |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also received a government-affiliated label, but appealed to Musk.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Clayton |first1=James |last2=Durbin |first2=Adam |date=April 10, 2023 |title=Twitter: BBC objects to 'government funded media' label |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65226481 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423045006/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65226481 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) received a label stating it was "69% government-funded", in apparent reference to the sex position, after Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre told Musk to apply the label. The CBC is 66% government-funded, and stopped tweeting after the incident.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=April 18, 2023 |title=Musk labels CBC "69% Government-funded" as more news outlets quit Twitter |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/04/musk-feuds-with-another-public-broadcaster-labels-cbc-69-government-funded/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424191227/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/04/musk-feuds-with-another-public-broadcaster-labels-cbc-69-government-funded/ |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |work=Ars Technica}}</ref>
On April 22, Twitter dropped the state-affiliated and government-affiliated labels entirely, including for Russia's RT and China's Xinhua News and China Global Television Network (CGTN). According to Musk, the idea to drop the labels came from author Walter Isaacson.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=April 22, 2023 |title=Elon Musk Drops Twitter's 'State-Affiliated' and 'Government-Funded' Media Labels After Backlash |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/musk-drops-twitter-state-affiliated-government-funded-media-labels-1235591420/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423025421/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/musk-drops-twitter-state-affiliated-government-funded-media-labels-1235591420/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Variety}}</ref> The removal of the state-affiliated label followed a change in Twitter's algorithm, in which restrictions on accounts belonging to Russian state media were lifted. RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan congratulated Musk on lifting the restrictions on her account.<ref name="NYTimesImpersonators">{{Cite web |last1=Lee Myers |first1=Steven |last2=Frenkel |first2=Sheera |last3=Hsu |first3=Tiffany |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Tweets Become Harder to Believe as Labels Change Meaning |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/technology/twitter-verification-problems.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426213358/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/technology/twitter-verification-problems.html |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
== Verification status removals == On March 23, 2023, Twitter announced that on April 1, 2023, it would begin winding down its legacy verification program and removing legacy verified checkmarks.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |date=23 March 2023 |title=Twitter to Revoke 'Legacy' Verified Badges in April, Leaving Only Paying Subscribers With Blue Check-Marks |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-revokes-legacy-verification-blue-checkmarks-april-1235561515/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330193235/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-revokes-legacy-verification-blue-checkmarks-april-1235561515/ |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1639029459557679104 |user=verified |title=On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. |author=((Twitter Verified))}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported that exceptions would be made for Twitter's top 500 advertisers and its 10,000 most-followed organizations that had been previously verified.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCabe |first1=David |last2=Conger |first2=Kate |date=March 30, 2023 |title=Elon Musk Tried to Meet With F.T.C. Chair About Twitter but Was Rebuffed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/30/technology/elon-musk-ftc-chair.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401000250/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/30/technology/elon-musk-ftc-chair.html |archive-date=April 1, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2023 |website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rosenblatt |first1=Kalhan |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Some of Twitter's top users aren't afraid of losing their blue check marks |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/twitter-blue-check-mark-cost-how-much-verified-rcna77432 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401043449/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/twitter-blue-check-mark-cost-how-much-verified-rcna77432 |archive-date=April 1, 2023 |access-date=April 1, 2023 |website=NBC News}}</ref> ''BuzzFeed News'' reported that multiple news organizations like ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'' and ''The Los Angeles Times'' had no plans to pay for Twitter's "Verified Organizations" service nor would they reimburse reporters for having Twitter Blue.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Notopoulos |first1=Katie |last2=Dixit |first2=Pranav |date=March 30, 2023 |title=Newsrooms Ponder Whether To Pay For Journalists' Twitter Blue Checks |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/journalists-blue-checks-newsrooms-twitter-verification |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331002606/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/journalists-blue-checks-newsrooms-twitter-verification |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=BuzzFeed News}}</ref> Similarly, ''Axios'' reported that White House digital strategy director Rob Flaherty sent an internal email to staffers saying "[t]here are ongoing trials for the program that we are monitoring, but we will not enroll in it."<ref name="axioswhitehouse">{{cite web |last=Fischer |first=Sara |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Scoop: White House won't pay for Twitter verification |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/03/31/twitter-verification-white-house-biden-check-mark |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331180601/https://www.axios.com/2023/03/31/twitter-verification-white-house-biden-check-mark |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=Axios}}</ref>
Twitter did not immediately begin removing checkmarks on April 1, 2023. ''The Washington Post'' reported that "[the removal] of verification badges is a largely manual process powered by a system prone to breaking" and "[i]n the past, there was no way to reliably remove badges at a bulk scale", according to former Twitter employees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lerman |first1=Rachel |last2=Siddiqui |first2=Faiz |title=Twitter's blue check mark was loved and loathed. Now it's pay for play. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/31/twitter-verification-checkmark-ending/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405092515/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/31/twitter-verification-checkmark-ending/ |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> Twitter also updated the language previously used to distinguish between legacy and Twitter Blue-verified users, merging them into a single description,<ref>{{cite web |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=April 4, 2023 |title=TechScape: Elon Musk promised to take away the blue ticks – so why hasn't he? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/04/techscape-twitter-blue-ticks-elon-musk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404235538/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/04/techscape-twitter-blue-ticks-elon-musk |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name="varietycanttellbluecheck">{{cite magazine |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=April 2, 2023 |title=Elon Musk's Twitter Updates Verified User Descriptions so You Can't Tell Who Paid for a Blue Check-Mark Anymore |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-updates-verified-user-descriptions-paid-blue-check-1235571165/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409005213/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-updates-verified-user-descriptions-paid-blue-check-1235571165/ |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |magazine=Variety}}</ref> and later unfollowed all legacy-verified accounts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=Chris |date=April 6, 2023 |title=Twitter's blue checkmark purge may have finally begun |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90877904/twitter-mass-unfollowing-blue-checkmark-accounts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417214431/https://www.fastcompany.com/90877904/twitter-mass-unfollowing-blue-checkmark-accounts |archive-date=April 17, 2023 |access-date=April 17, 2023 |website=Fast Company}}</ref> On April 11, 2023, Musk announced the final date for removing legacy blue checkmarks to be April 20.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1645863107175284738 |user=elonmusk |title=Final date for removing legacy Blue checks is 4/20 |author-link=Elon Musk}}</ref><ref name="varietyfinaldate">{{cite magazine |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=April 11, 2023 |title=Elon Musk Says Twitter 'Final Date' for Removing Legacy Blue Check-Marks Is 4/20 |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-musk-date-removal-blue-checkmarks-legacy-1235570782/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416234549/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-musk-date-removal-blue-checkmarks-legacy-1235570782/ |archive-date=April 16, 2023 |access-date=April 17, 2023 |magazine=Variety}}</ref>
On April 25, 2023, Musk announced that posts by verified accounts would now be prioritized ahead of unverified users, but behind those of the user's own follows, in replies to tweets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schroeder |first=Stan |date=April 25, 2023 |title=Elon Musk says verified Twitter accounts are now prioritized, whatever that means |url=https://mashable.com/article/twitter-verified-accounts-prioritized-elon-musk |access-date=April 30, 2023 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":19">{{Cite news |date=March 20, 2023 |title=Twitter to prioritise replies from followed and verified users |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/twitter-to-prioritise-replies-from-followed-and-verified-users/articleshow/98812436.cms |access-date=July 21, 2023 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> On April 30, 2023, multiple legacy verified users began noticing a bug that temporarily restored the legacy blue checkmark by changing their bio.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Renshaw |first1=David |title=Twitter bug allows formerly verified users to bring back blue check free of charge |url=https://www.thefader.com/2023/05/01/twitter-bug-allows-formerly-verified-users-to-bring-back-blue-check-free-of-charge |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The FADER |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Luna |first1=Elizabeth de |date=May 1, 2023 |title=This Twitter bug will give you back your blue check... sort of |url=https://mashable.com/article/twitter-blue-checkmark-verified-bug |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref>
On October 17, 2023, X announced that it would trial a scheme requiring new users who register via the website in New Zealand and the Philippines to pay US$1 per-year in order to use the platform. If the user does not subscribe, they will only receive read-only access to the platform. It was stated that this system was required to "bolster our already significant efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform and bot activity."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heath |first=Alex |date=October 18, 2023 |title=X will start charging new users in two countries $1 per year |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/17/23921752/x-not-a-bot-charge-new-users-elon-musk |access-date=October 18, 2023 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
=== ''The New York Times'' === On April 2, 2023, the main account for ''The New York Times'' became one of the first major media companies to lose its verified status on Twitter. Ahead of the official release of Verification for Organizations, newspaper ''The New York Times'' stated that it would not pay for a verification checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2023 |title=New York Times says it won't pay for Twitter verified check mark |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/new-york-times-says-it-wont-pay-twitter-verified-check-marks-2023-04-02/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420202301/https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/new-york-times-says-it-wont-pay-twitter-verified-check-marks-2023-04-02/ |archive-date=April 20, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref> In response to a Twitter user who pointed out the newspaper's decision, Musk stated, "Oh ok, we'll take it off then".<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1642383150230773760 |user=elonmusk |title=@cb_doge Oh ok, we'll take it off then |author-link=Elon Musk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McShane |first1=Julianne |date=April 2, 2023 |title=Twitter hasn't removed verified check marks — except from The New York Times |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/twitter-hasnt-removed-verified-check-marks-new-york-rcna77824 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405025909/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/twitter-hasnt-removed-verified-check-marks-new-york-rcna77824 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |website=NBC News}}</ref> Musk then called ''The New York Times'' hypocritical for charging readers to read its articles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Jon |date=April 3, 2023 |title=Twitter had a very messy weekend |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/3/23667751/twitter-legacy-blue-checkmark-wind-down-chaos |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422141524/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/3/23667751/twitter-legacy-blue-checkmark-wind-down-chaos |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> He criticised the newspaper for tweeting hundreds of posts every day, including drafts that were not accepted into the published editions of the paper, and inundating the daily feed of users who followed it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Syme |first=Pete |date=April 18, 2023 |title=Elon Musk says news organizations should only tweet 10 stories a day, after he tweeted more than 100 times over the weekend |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-says-nyt-tweet-less-after-100-weekend-tweets-2023-4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418211134/https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-says-nyt-tweet-less-after-100-weekend-tweets-2023-4 |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> Despite the deadline for Twitter Blue passing, and aside from ''The New York Times'', many legacy verified accounts continued to retain their verified status. According to ''The New York Times'' themselves, the top 10,000 Twitter accounts and top 500 advertisers would be exempt from paying.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Mitchell |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Twitter's $1,000 checkmark will be free for the 10,000 most-followed companies |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/31/23664923/twitter-verification-for-organizations-free-for-most-followed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407205754/https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/31/23664923/twitter-verification-for-organizations-free-for-most-followed |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
=== Legacy verified accounts === {{Tweet | image = Stephen King, Comicon.jpg | name = Stephen King | username = StephenKing | date = April 20, 2023 | text = My Twitter account says I've subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven't.<br>My Twitter account says I've given a phone number. I haven't. | reference = <ref name="MilmoGuardian" /> }}
On March 23, Twitter announced it would remove blue checkmarks from "legacy" verified accounts on April 1, or April Fools' Day.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Peters |first1=Jay |last2=Clark |first2=Mitchell |date=March 23, 2023 |title=Twitter claims 'legacy' blue checkmarks will start to disappear on April Fools' Day |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/23/23654206/twitter-legacy-blue-verified-checkmarks-april-fools-day |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422010207/https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/23/23654206/twitter-legacy-blue-verified-checkmarks-april-fools-day |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Twitter subsequently stopped distinguishing Twitter Blue subscribers from legacy verified accounts on April 2.<ref name="varietycanttellbluecheck" /> On April 19, the Twitter Verified account tweeted that, on April 20, legacy verified checkmarks would disappear, in apparent reference to the cannabis slang number 420; Musk had previously tweeted about the April 20 date on April 11.<ref name="vergeremovelegacyblue">{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=April 19, 2023 |title=Twitter promises it's really, actually removing legacy blue checks very soon |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/19/23690077/twitter-verified-checkmarks-removing-legacy-blue |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419232004/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/19/23690077/twitter-verified-checkmarks-removing-legacy-blue |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Despite skepticism due to the date,<ref name="vergeremovelegacyblue" /><ref name="varietyfinaldate" /> Twitter began removing legacy checkmarks on April 20, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |date=April 20, 2023 |title=Twitter begins removing blue checkmarks from all legacy users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23690820/twitter-verified-blue-checkmark-legacy-elon-musk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420181842/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23690820/twitter-verified-blue-checkmark-legacy-elon-musk |archive-date=April 20, 2023 |access-date=April 20, 2023 |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref name="nbcIngramyang">{{cite news |last1=Ingram |first1=David |last2=Yang |first2=Angela |title=Twitter begins removal of legacy verified checkmarks |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/twitter-blue-checks-legacy-verification-removed-rcna80539 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420183109/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/twitter-blue-checks-legacy-verification-removed-rcna80539 |archive-date=April 20, 2023 |access-date=April 20, 2023 |publisher=NBC News}}</ref> Among those that lost their verified status included Cristiano Ronaldo and Beyoncé.<ref name="bbcclaytonbailey">{{Cite news |last1=Clayton |first1=James |last2=Bailey |first2=Chelsea |date=April 20, 2023 |title=Beyoncé and Ronaldo among those to lose Twitter blue check in purge |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65344010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422012235/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65344010 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 22, 2023 |work=BBC}}</ref> Actress Halle Berry posted a meme commemorating the loss of her blue checkmark. Several figures, such as Stephen King, noted that they had not paid for verification and—in King's case—had not added a phone number to their account. While some users, such as Eliot Higgins of Bellingcat appear to have been given verification for free, others, such as actor Ryan Reynolds—whose Twitter account has 21 million followers—do not.<ref name="bbcKleinman">{{Cite news |last=Kleinman |first=Zoe |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter's blue tick restored to high profile accounts |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65365366 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423100313/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65365366 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> NBC News noted that legacy verified accounts still appeared in search results filtering for just verified users.<ref name="nbcIngramyang" />
''The Washington Post'' noted that several deceased individuals, such as basketball player Kobe Bryant, actor Chadwick Boseman, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, and Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rawling |first=Caitlin |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter appears to give blue tick verification to dead users including celebrities Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman and Chester Bennington |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-24/elon-musk-verifies-dead-celebrities-on-twitter-blue-tick/102258586 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424050318/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-24/elon-musk-verifies-dead-celebrities-on-twitter-blue-tick/102258586 |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=ABC News}}</ref> had a blue checkmark. Other figures with blue checkmarks include singer Michael Jackson, rapper Mac Miller, and senator John McCain. Many users noticed that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi had a blue checkmark, despite being assassinated in 2018 by the government of Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi's checkmark resulted in an outcry from users of the site. The blue checkmark does not state whether or not it has been gifted or bought.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Timsit |first1=Annabelle |last2=Iati |first2=Marisa |date=April 23, 2023 |title=These celebrities 'subscribed to Twitter Blue.' Except they're dead. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/23/twitter-blue-dead-celebrities/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423201050/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/23/twitter-blue-dead-celebrities/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
Following the removal of legacy verification, Twitter began verifying the accounts of several celebrities who had been critical of, and did not purchase Twitter Blue, including Stephen King, LeBron James, Hasan Piker, and dril.<ref name="MilmoGuardian" /><ref name="avclubremovecheckmarks">{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=William |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Celebrities now working to remove their apparently mandatory Twitter checkmarks |url=https://www.avclub.com/celebrities-now-working-to-remove-their-apparently-mand-1850366148 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423004740/https://www.avclub.com/celebrities-now-working-to-remove-their-apparently-mand-1850366148 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |website=The A.V. Club}}</ref> Musk implied that he was paying for their subscriptions personally.<ref name="MilmoGuardian" /><ref name=":1" /> Pope Francis' blue checkmark was removed before being replaced by a gray checkmark; as the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope is the sovereign of Vatican City.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malik |first=Yuvraj |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Pope Francis, Ronaldo lose Twitter verified blue status, others keep it |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/pope-loses-verified-status-twitter-us-basketball-star-lebron-james-remains-2023-04-21/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423050348/https://www.reuters.com/technology/pope-loses-verified-status-twitter-us-basketball-star-lebron-james-remains-2023-04-21/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref> A day later, Twitter updated its policy for Twitter Ads requiring all advertisers to be subscribed to Verified Organizations,<ref name=":18" /> but businesses spending at least $1000 a month in advertising would automatically receive membership in the Verified Organizations program at no additional cost.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Twitter Reportedly Is Now Requiring All Advertisers to Pay for Verification Unless They Spend at Least $1,000 per Month |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-advertisers-paid-verification-check-marks-1235590844/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422113456/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-advertisers-paid-verification-check-marks-1235590844/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |website=Variety}}</ref> On April 22, 2023, Twitter seemingly began issuing blue and gold<ref name="bbcKleinman" /> checkmarks to accounts with at least a million followers, including those belonging to deceased users such as Anthony Bourdain, Chadwick Boseman, and Kobe Bryant.<ref name="rollingStone_MillionFollowers">{{cite magazine |last=Legaspi |first=Althea |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter Users With a Million Followers Are Getting 'Paid' Blue Checks, Like It or Not |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/twitter-blue-badges-added-to-celebrity-accounts-without-subscription-1234722041/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423031757/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/twitter-blue-badges-added-to-celebrity-accounts-without-subscription-1234722041/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Kieran |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter users baffled after blue ticks return to some accounts despite 'not paying for them' |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/twitter-users-baffled-blue-ticks-return-accounts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423171003/https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/twitter-users-baffled-blue-ticks-return-accounts/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |website=LBC |language=en}}</ref> Since the blue checkmark now indicates an active Twitter Blue subscription, several high{{nbh}}profile users began looking for ways to remove it, usually by briefly changing their display name.<ref name="avclubremovecheckmarks" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dellatto |first1=Marisa |title=Twitter Restores Blue Check Marks For Many High-Profile Accounts—But Some Celebrities Don't Want Them |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/04/23/twitter-restores-blue-check-marks-to-some-big-accounts-but-some-celebrities-dont-want-them/?sh=48e9f4e73a14 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
The far-right political party Britain First received a gold checkmark, signifying that it was a business, while its leader, Paul Golding, has a blue checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Far-right Britain First party given Twitter gold tick |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/24/far-right-britain-first-twitter-gold-tick |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165041/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/24/far-right-britain-first-twitter-gold-tick |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> According to researcher Nima Owji, Twitter will allow users who have received Twitter Blue for free to cancel their subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holt |first=Kris |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Twitter may soon tell users with a free Blue subscription how to cancel it |url=https://www.engadget.com/twitter-may-soon-tell-users-with-a-free-blue-subscription-how-to-cancel-it-200455042.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426204448/https://www.engadget.com/twitter-may-soon-tell-users-with-a-free-blue-subscription-how-to-cancel-it-200455042.html |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |publisher=Engadget}}</ref>
==== Further impersonation attempts ==== Coinciding with the 2023 Sudan conflict, an account posing as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed that its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, died in the conflict, as the legitimate RSF Twitter account was unverified.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Champion |first=Matthew |date=April 21, 2023 |title=A Twitter Blue Account Is Spreading Dangerous Misinformation About the Sudan Conflict |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/twitter-blue-fake-account-sudan-misinformation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422224237/https://www.vice.com/en/article/93kyj5/twitter-blue-fake-account-sudan-misinformation |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Vice}}</ref> Other tweets made by impersonators include an account posing as politician Hillary Clinton declaring a supposed presidential bid in 2024, author J.K. Rowling apologizing for comments she made against transgender people, Pope Francis stating there are "at least three genders", Florida governor Ron DeSandis{{sic}} calling political donor Kent Sturmon a pedophile, singer Olivia Rodrigo taking credit for a fan-fiction post on Wattpad, and skater Tony Hawk talking about building a skate park in Des Moines, Iowa. Security researcher John Scott-Railton noted a potential rise in impersonation accounts of government agencies, such as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) branches and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, as their Twitter accounts are unverified.<ref name="RSImpersonators">{{Cite web |last=Klee |first=Miles |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Impersonators Run Wild on Twitter Thanks to Sabotaged Verification System |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/twitter-impersonators-elon-musk-verification-system-1234720892/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422120052/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/twitter-impersonators-elon-musk-verification-system-1234720892/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Rolling Stone}}</ref> One tweet, supposedly from cuisine publication ''The New York Times Cooking'', attracted attention for sharing a meme recipe of a hand-shaped M&M cookie atop Greek salad, dubbed "King's Hand".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Nicole |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Twitter's de-verification debacle, explained |url=https://www.polygon.com/23693433/twitter-blue-check-stephen-king-lebron-james-elon-musk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422113708/https://www.polygon.com/23693433/twitter-blue-check-stephen-king-lebron-james-elon-musk |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Polygon}}</ref> Comedian Kelly Carlin claimed her deceased father—comedian George Carlin, for whom she runs an account—was being impersonated.<ref name="NYTimesImpersonators" /> In a separate instance of impersonation, a parody account for Disney Junior in the United Kingdom was verified as a business. The account, which repeatedly used racial slurs and claimed that the adult animated series ''South Park'' and ''Family Guy'' would appear on Disney Junior, was suspended after Disney found the account.<ref name="varietydisneyjr" />
The removal of blue checkmarks has had a political impact. Taking advantage of the removal of the blue checkmarks for the Twitter accounts for Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Transportation, and the Illinois Department of Transportation, false accounts began appearing claiming that the major expressway Lake Shore Drive would close next month for private traffic.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=O'Brien |first1=Matt |last2=Foody |first2=Kathleen |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Confusion as Musk's Twitter yanks blue checks from agencies |url=https://apnews.com/article/twitter-elon-musk-blue-checkmark-celebrities-544cfd66ed3a62f51a8a80c20e11ac5b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422073253/https://apnews.com/article/twitter-elon-musk-blue-checkmark-celebrities-544cfd66ed3a62f51a8a80c20e11ac5b |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> Similarly, an impostor account appeared after the New York City Government account tweeted that it was official.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fung |first=Brian |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Twitter descends into chaos as news outlets and brands lose verification |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/21/tech/twitter-verification-chaos/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422200843/https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/21/tech/twitter-verification-chaos/index.html |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned of potential harm in misinformation after the encounter.<ref name="RSImpersonators" /> At least eleven accounts claiming to be the Los Angeles Police Department appeared in the wake of the removal of blue checkmarks. An account claiming to be New York City mayor Eric Adams promised to create a Department of Traffic and Parking Enforcement while slashing funding for the New York City Police Department; the operator of the account was later discovered to be Josh Boerman, co-host of the podcast ''The Worst of All Possible Worlds'', who claimed to have made the account in jest.<ref name="NYTimesImpersonators" /> Election offices for four of the most populous counties in the United States—Cook County, Illinois, Harris County, Texas, Maricopa County, Arizona, and San Diego County, California—were unverified. In particular, Maricopa County has been targeted by conspiracy theorists for alleged irregularities in how the county voted in the 2020 presidential election; the county's ballots were audited by Republicans in 2021, finding no such claims of voter fraud.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Healy |first1=Jack |last2=Wines |first2=Michael |last3=Corasaniti |first3=Nick |date=September 24, 2021 |title=Republican Review of Arizona Vote Fails to Show Stolen Election |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/us/arizona-election-review-trump-biden.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924101013/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/us/arizona-election-review-trump-biden.html |archive-date=September 24, 2021 |access-date=May 7, 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Ahead of the 2023 Philadelphia mayoral election and the Pennsylvania primary election, the account for the Philadelphia City Commissioners was unverified, leading to several verified accounts impersonating the commissioners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swenson |first=Ali |date=May 7, 2023 |title=New Twitter rules expose election offices to spoof accounts |url=https://apnews.com/article/twitter-verification-blue-check-elections-elon-musk-5df36ed183d16ec3bf99446e6827bcdd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506221542/https://apnews.com/article/twitter-verification-blue-check-elections-elon-musk-5df36ed183d16ec3bf99446e6827bcdd |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |access-date=May 7, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
On May 22, an account aligned with the QAnon conspiracy theory posted an image generated by artificial intelligence that seemingly depicted an explosion near the Pentagon. The fake image was amplified by the Russian propaganda television network RT and the far-right blog Zero Hedge. A verified account posing as Bloomberg News then posted the claim accompanied by several other verified accounts. The S&P 500 fell sharply as a result of the news before rebounding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Ben |date=May 22, 2023 |title=Fake picture of explosion at Pentagon spooks Twitter |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinformation/fake-picture-explosion-pentagon-spooks-twitter-rcna85659 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |publisher=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Bill |date=May 22, 2023 |title=Fake Pentagon explosion image spreads online |url=https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.33FV4BU |access-date=May 27, 2023 |website=Agence France-Presse |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Kristensen |first=Nikolaj |date=May 26, 2023 |title=The perfect storm of AI fakes and paid Twitter verification |url=https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/article/ai-fakes-and-paid-twitter-verification |access-date=May 27, 2023 |website=Logically |language=en}}</ref> Several Indian news outlets, including Zee News and Republic TV, aired false reports about the supposed explosion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thete |first=Rujuta |date=May 23, 2023 |title=Media Outlets Share AI-Generated Image as a Real Explosion Near USA's Pentagon |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/ai-generated-image-of-an-explosion-near-pentagon-shared-as-real-fact-check |access-date=May 27, 2023 |website=The Quint |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02" />
=== Censorship === Twitter Blue Checkmarks have been removed or suspended from verified accounts as a form of censorship. Laura Loomer, a political activist, conspiracy theorist and Internet personality, was opposed to H-1B visas and then lost her blue checkmark on 27 December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 27, 2024 |title=MAGA civil war ramps up as Laura Loomer lays into Musk — and loses her blue check |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/laura-loomer-elon-musk-trump-maga-b2670603.html |access-date=January 24, 2025 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> Gavin Mario Wax, ConservativePAC, and Owen Shroyer also affected.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Elon Musk's Newest Critics on X Just Paid the Price |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/189683/elon-musk-critics-x-immigration-paid-price-verification |access-date=January 24, 2025 |magazine=The New Republic |issn=0028-6583}}</ref>
== Significance and social impact == Prior to the introduction of paid Twitter verification after the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, verified status was a highly sought-after qualification among Twitter users. Since Twitter alone granted blue checkmarks, they could use them as a passive inducement for users to create more content. Alison Hearn argued in 2017 that they introduce a new social class of Twitter users.<ref name="Hearn">{{Cite journal |last=Hearn |first=Alison |date=April 3, 2017 |title=Verified: Self-presentation, identity management, and selfhood in the age of big data |journal=Popular Communication |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=62–77 |doi=10.1080/15405702.2016.1269909 |issn=1540-5702 |s2cid=151473273}}</ref> This can cause tension between verified and non-verified users of the site; when Twitter temporarily locked out verified accounts in the aftermath of the 2020 Twitter account hijacking, many non-verified users celebrated.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Watercutter |first=Angela |date=July 16, 2020 |title=Twitter Is at Its Best When Verified Accounts Can't Tweet |url=https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-unverified-takeover |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120014707/https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-unverified-takeover/ |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |access-date=February 3, 2021 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Joseph |first1=Andrew |date=July 15, 2020 |title=Hack: Twitter locks Blue Checks; unverified accounts react with jokes |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/07/twitter-hack-bitcoin-verified-blue-checks-accounts-locked-joke-tweets |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716170515/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/07/twitter-hack-bitcoin-verified-blue-checks-accounts-locked-joke-tweets |archive-date=July 16, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2021 |work=USA Today}}</ref>
After the blue checkmark was made available as a paid subscription in 2022, reporters noted trolls spreading conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines using the checkmark to feign credibility.<ref name="bbcschraer">{{cite news |last=Schraer |first=Rachel |date=November 23, 2022 |title=They died suddenly - then the anti-vax trolling started |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63719246 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123145924/https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63719246 |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |access-date=November 23, 2022 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>
Several fake accounts surfaced following Twitter's move to eliminate the blue tick verification on April 20, 2023. An account pretending to be Hillary Clinton "announced" her intention to run for the presidency again. The said fake account used an identical profile photo as that of the former U.S. senator's legitimate handle. Moreover, a new Twitter handle in New York City claimed to be a legitimate account representing the government. The BBC has noted that the increase in sponsored verification would heighten the spread of false information on the platform.<ref name="bbcclaytonbailey" />
=== Individual reactions === The removal of the blue checkmark and Twitter Blue have sparked controversy. Actress Alyssa Milano added to her Twitter profile that she would not be paying for Twitter Blue. The Twitter account for Elmo tweeted that, "Elmo will miss you, little blue check mark". The blue checkmark has also caused crosscurrents between Twitter users, with technology journalist Joanna Stern writing that she "likes editing tweets", and appears to have distanced herself from the blue checkmark. Morning Consult journalist Bobby Blanchard asked Twitter to remove his blue checkmark.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Chery |first1=Samantha |last2=Selk |first2=Avi |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Elon Musk gifts a blue check mark to celebrities who don't want one |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/04/21/elon-musk-celebrity-twitter-blue-checks/ |access-date=April 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Other personalities and entities appeared confused as to why their blue checkmarks appeared despite not subscribing to Twitter Blue, such as journalist Maggie Haberman, actors Ben Schwartz and Elijah Wood, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Twitter account for the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum clarified that it had not paid for Twitter Blue either.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Twitter verified fake Disney account, claims dead celebs subscribe to Twitter Blue |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/04/twitter-verified-fake-disney-account-claims-dead-celebs-subscribe-to-twitter-blue/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424190129/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/04/twitter-verified-fake-disney-account-claims-dead-celebs-subscribe-to-twitter-blue/ |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |work=Ars Technica}}</ref> Model Chrissy Teigen compared her blue checkmark to the film ''It Follows'' (2014) and was able to get hers removed by changing her username, telling speechwriter Jon Favreau. Favreau later stated that he believed Musk was "capricious" in his actions and did not want to be potentially suspended for unverifying his account.<ref name="WNTBDReactions">{{Cite podcast |host=Lizzie O'Leary |title=Stephen King Is Just as Confused About Blue Checks as You Are |website=Slate |date=April 28, 2023 |url=https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd/2023/04/twitter-blue-it |access-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429005537/https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd/2023/04/twitter-blue-it |url-status=live}}</ref> Likewise, stand-up comedian and actor Patton Oswalt changed his username to remove his blue checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=J. Clara |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter Inexplicably Adds Verification Back to Some Accounts, Including Dead Celebrities |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/twitter-adds-verification-back-accounts-died-1235399754/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423202614/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/twitter-adds-verification-back-accounts-died-1235399754/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> dril, part of Twitter's secretive list of users to promote and of "Weird Twitter", removed his blue checkmark by changing his display name to "slave to Woke".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bonifacic |first=Igor |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter adds blue checks to accounts of dead celebrities |url=https://www.engadget.com/twitter-adds-blue-checks-to-accounts-of-dead-celebrities-223749275.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424050319/https://www.engadget.com/twitter-adds-blue-checks-to-accounts-of-dead-celebrities-223749275.html |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=Engadget}}</ref> Replying to economist Paul Krugman, who wrote that he did not pay for Twitter Blue, Musk replied with an image of a child crying while eating spaghetti.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dellatto |first=Marisa |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twitter Restores Blue Check Marks For Many High-Profile Accounts—But Some Celebrities Don't Want Them |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/04/23/twitter-restores-blue-check-marks-to-some-big-accounts-but-some-celebrities-dont-want-them/?sh=654a3cf173a1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424050318/https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/04/23/twitter-restores-blue-check-marks-to-some-big-accounts-but-some-celebrities-dont-want-them/?sh=654a3cf173a1 |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Forbes}}</ref> Doja Cat said that having a blue checkmark "means theres{{sic}} a higher chance that you're a complete loser".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dailey |first=Hannah |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat & More Musicians React to Losing Their Blue Check Verification on Twitter |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/musicians-react-losing-blue-check-verification-elon-musk-twitter-1235312500/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422105039/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/musicians-react-losing-blue-check-verification-elon-musk-twitter-1235312500/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
At the premiere of ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' (2023), actor Jack Black stated that, "It's definitely not cool to pay for it". Similarly, singer Jacob Sartorius, who appreciated receiving a blue checkmark in 2016, said, "It's not something that’s cool anymore".<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Holtermann |first1=Callie |last2=Kelley |first2=Lora |date=April 25, 2023 |title=Are Blue Checks Uncool Now? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/style/twitter-check-marks.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426000939/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/style/twitter-check-marks.html/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Black's co-star Chris Pratt showed apathy towards the blue checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malkin |first=Marc |date=April 2, 2023 |title=Jack Black Wants to Call Elon Musk's 'Bluff' on Removing Twitter Verification Checkmarks: 'It's Definitely Not Cool to Pay for It' |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/chris-pratt-jack-black-twitter-blue-checkmark-super-mario-bros-1235570946/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409170445/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/chris-pratt-jack-black-twitter-blue-checkmark-super-mario-bros-1235570946/ |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Variety}}</ref> Similarly, rapper Ice Spice and vocalist Ice-T showed no interest towards the blue checkmark. To the contrary, actor Jason Alexander said that he would leave if his verification was removed. Minnesota Twins play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer left Twitter after losing his verification; Bremer was drawn into Twitter after a parody account used his name and likeness to post racist tweets.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 23, 2023 |title=Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer to stop tweeting after Twitter scraps legacy blue checks |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/twins/twins-broadcaster-dick-bremer-to-stop-tweeting-after-twitter-scraps-legacy-blue-checks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424050322/https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/twins/twins-broadcaster-dick-bremer-to-stop-tweeting-after-twitter-scraps-legacy-blue-checks |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> Actor Bella Ramsey left the platform after the removal of blue checkmarks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Tom |date=April 22, 2023 |title=Bella Ramsey announces she's leaving Twitter: 'Thank you my gay army' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bella-ramsey-gay-pronouns-twitter-b2324784.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422130148/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bella-ramsey-gay-pronouns-twitter-b2324784.html |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=The Independent}}</ref> Singer Dionne Warwick, actor Ian McKellen, and rapper Lil Nas X outright stated that they refuse to pay for the blue checkmark, as actors Mark Hamill and Ben Stiller, activist Monica Lewinsky, singer-songwriter Jason Isbell, and journalist Kara Swisher suggested they would.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruth |first=Wolfgang |date=April 15, 2023 |title=Millionaires Are Not Into Paying for Twitter Verification |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/04/twitter-verified-celebrities-refuse-elon-musk.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416234848/https://www.vulture.com/2023/04/twitter-verified-celebrities-refuse-elon-musk.html |archive-date=April 16, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Vulture}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fung |first=Brian |date=April 24, 2023 |title=How Elon Musk transformed Twitter's blue check from status symbol into a badge of shame |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/24/tech/musk-twitter-blue-check-mark/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424192115/https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/24/tech/musk-twitter-blue-check-mark/index.html |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> Stand-up comedian Mike Drucker congratulated Twitter for implementing paid verification, writing, "Some users on Twitter were starting to confuse me for the type of person who'd pay $8 a month to feel special. It was embarrassing".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grothaus |first=Michael |date=April 24, 2023 |title=With legacy verification ending, will Twitter's blue checks become the new scarlet letter? |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90870874/twitter-verified-legacy-blue-checkmark-going-away-soon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426224647/https://www.fastcompany.com/90870874/twitter-verified-legacy-blue-checkmark-going-away-soon |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |work=Fast Company}}</ref> Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on Bluesky a week after legacy blue checkmarks were removed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=April 27, 2023 |title=Dril and AOC are now on Bluesky |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23701021/dril-bluesky-twitter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427190131/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23701021/dril-bluesky-twitter |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |access-date=April 27, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
After beseeching Musk, actor Charlie Sheen regained his checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Twitter Restores Blue Check-Marks for Many Celebs, Including Several Dead Ones |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-restores-blue-check-marks-dead-celebrities-1235592333/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424132629/https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/twitter-restores-blue-check-marks-dead-celebrities-1235592333/ |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |work=Variety}}</ref> Musician Sean Ono Lennon showed confusion towards celebrities who refused to pay for Twitter Blue.<ref name="QuartzFTC">{{Cite web |last=Nover |first=Scott |date=April 25, 2023 |title=Elon Musk is courting fresh FTC scrutiny with his latest Twitter fiasco |url=https://qz.com/elon-musk-is-courting-fresh-ftc-scrutiny-with-his-lates-1850371840 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426014528/https://qz.com/elon-musk-is-courting-fresh-ftc-scrutiny-with-his-lates-1850371840 |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |work=Quartz}}</ref> Ardent supporters of Musk have defended Twitter Blue, particularly noting its price point. Internet entrepreneur Jason Calacanis, entrepreneur David O. Sacks, and essayist Nassim Nicholas Taleb placed immense value into the subscription while tweeting about it, with Taleb calling those who pay for other products and services monthly but not Twitter Blue "domain dependent misers!" Right-wing Twitter user Catturd called critics of Twitter Blue "elitist snobs".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nover |first=Scott |date=April 21, 2023 |title=The problem with Twitter's blue checkmark is not the $8-a-month cost |url=https://qz.com/the-problem-with-twitters-blue-checkmark-is-not-the-8-1850363089 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422100211/https://qz.com/the-problem-with-twitters-blue-checkmark-is-not-the-8-1850363089 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Quartz}}</ref>
=== #BlockTheBlue movement === The removal of blue checkmarks from legacy verified accounts inspired the hashtag #BlockTheBlue, in which users block any users they see with a blue checkmark, with Eve 6 bassist Max Collins taking part in the hashtag. A Twitter account for the hashtag was created before being abruptly taken down.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ables |first=Kelsey |date=April 22, 2023 |title=Twitter users #BlockTheBlue as 'verified' accounts take on new meaning |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/22/block-the-blue-twitter-verified/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422171041/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/22/block-the-blue-twitter-verified/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> dril, who originated the #BlockTheBlue campaign, spoke to ''Mashable''{{'}}s Matt Binder, writing, "blocking [Twitter Blue subscribers] and encouraging others to do the same on a massive scale is the complete opposite of what they want".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Binder |first=Matt |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Dril and other Twitter power users begin campaign to 'Block the Blue' paid checkmarks |url=https://mashable.com/article/block-the-blue-twitter-campaign-dril |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423001306/https://mashable.com/article/block-the-blue-twitter-campaign-dril |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Mashable}}</ref> Conversely, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney wrote, "People in this #BlockTheBlue pressure campaign are losers and goons", with Musk replying with, "Exactly". Sweeney has been an outspoken critic of verification since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mollman |first=Steve |date=April 22, 2023 |title=Elon Musk weighs in on campaign to block Twitter accounts that still have blue check mark after legacy purge |url=https://fortune.com/2023/04/22/elon-musk-on-twitter-users-blocking-blue-check-marks-after-legacy-purge/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422232623/https://fortune.com/2023/04/22/elon-musk-on-twitter-users-blocking-blue-check-marks-after-legacy-purge/ |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Fortune}}</ref>
=== Organizations === In response to Verification for Organizations, various news organizations—including ''The New York Times'', ''Los Angeles Times'', ''The Washington Post'', ''BuzzFeed News'', ''HuffPost'', ''Politico'', and Vox Media sites—stated that they would not pay for Twitter verification for their employees. CNN said that it would not pay for employee verification status except for some staff members.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=March 30, 2023 |title=News organizations reject Elon Musk's demand of paying to keep checkmarks on Twitter |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/30/media/news-organizations-elon-musk-twitter-checkmark/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422213057/https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/30/media/news-organizations-elon-musk-twitter-checkmark/index.html |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> The White House has no intentions to pay for checkmarks for their employees, according to ''Axios''.<ref name="axioswhitehouse" />
The Twitter account for Amazon Prime Video in the United Kingdom posted a meme of ''The Boys'' character Homelander pushing his son off a roof, with Homelander labeled as Twitter and his son labeled as a blue checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kanter |first=Jake |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Amazon Prime Video Trolls Elon Musk With Homelander Meme After Twitter's Blue Check Takedown |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/amazon-trolls-elon-musk-twitter-blue-tick-takedown-homelander-meme-1235333451/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423040919/https://deadline.com/2023/04/amazon-trolls-elon-musk-twitter-blue-tick-takedown-homelander-meme-1235333451/ |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> Law blog ''SCOTUSblog'' stopped posting on Twitter entirely after it lost its checkmark.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Jenna |date=April 21, 2023 |title=Law firms take a pass on paying for Twitter checks, but some star attorneys shell out |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/firms-pass-paying-twitter-checks-even-some-star-lawyers-shell-out-2023-04-21/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429001802/https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/firms-pass-paying-twitter-checks-even-some-star-lawyers-shell-out-2023-04-21/ |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |access-date=April 28, 2023 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref>
=== Analysis === Northeastern University School of Law professor Alexandra Roberts argued that Twitter's claim that certain individuals paid for Twitter Blue may violate state and federal false representation laws, such as the Lanham Act, popularized through a retweet by dril, but reserved that Twitter was not making a direct advertisement. Solicitor Simon McGarr mentioned that Twitter's insistence on the blue checkmark for some users, such as dril, may violate the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, as verifying accounts requires a phone number. McGarr also noted ''Tolley v. Fry'', a 1931 court case filed against chocolate bar manufacturer J. S. Fry & Sons by golfer Cyril Tolley alleging that the advertising of chocolate bars with a caricature of Tolley was defamatory, or the similar case ''Eddie Irvine v. Talksport'' between racing driver Eddie Irvine and sports radio station Talksport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=April 24, 2023 |title=Twitter users are now wondering if mandatory blue checks are illegal |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695772/twitter-blue-check-paid-verification-false-endorsement-dril |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424174003/https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695772/twitter-blue-check-paid-verification-false-endorsement-dril |archive-date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Other scholars have cited the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914, while some have pointed to the disdain for blue checkmarks and the potential effects of the checkmark on celebrities' reputations.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Stokel-Walker |first=Chris |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Twitter's Verification Fiasco May End in Court |url=https://www.wired.com/story/twitters-verification-fiasco-may-end-in-court/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426153124/https://www.wired.com/story/twitters-verification-fiasco-may-end-in-court/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |magazine=Wired}}</ref> The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has not commented on Twitter Blue, although an anonymous former FTC official called it "deceptive".<ref name="QuartzFTC" />
Following the initial implementation of paid verification, the Twitter account for the anti-vaccine propaganda film ''Died Suddenly'' (2022) became verified. The account has been used to spread medical misinformation, including of COVID-19 vaccines.<ref name="bbcschraer" /> The removal of blue checkmarks has also been seen as "chaos for emergency services", according to Marc-André Argentino, a research fellow at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization.<ref name="NYTimesImpersonators" /> Paleoecologist Jacquelyn Gill and Berkeley Earth scientist Robert Rohde were also unverified, presenting a changing landscape for climate scientists on Twitter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shepherd |first=Marshall |date=April 24, 2023 |title=The Changing Twitter Landscape For Climate Scientists And The Scarlet Letter Of 'Verification' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2023/04/24/the-changing-twitter-landscape-for-climate-scientists-and-the-scarlet-letter-of-verification/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426045853/https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2023/04/24/the-changing-twitter-landscape-for-climate-scientists-and-the-scarlet-letter-of-verification/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |work=Forbes}}</ref> Pro-Russian Twitter accounts used verification to sow doubt over the true nature of the 2023 Ohio train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klepper |first=David |date=March 18, 2023 |title=Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-u-s-news/pro-moscow-voices-tried-to-steer-ohio-train-disaster-debate/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426231031/https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-u-s-news/pro-moscow-voices-tried-to-steer-ohio-train-disaster-debate/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 26, 2023 |work=The Hill}}</ref>
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/about-twitter-verified-accounts Twitter Support — About Verified Accounts] * [https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/twitter-verified-accounts Twitter Support — Verification FAQ]
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