Twitter announced on Thursday that it will start phasing out its old verification program and removing blue checkmarks from the legacy verified accounts of its users that have not subscribed to its premium service, Twitter Blue, starting April 1st.
On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue here: https://t.co/gzpCcwOpLp
Organizations can sign up for https://t.co/RlN5BbuGA3…
— Twitter Verified (@verified) March 23, 2023
In October 2022, Twitter changed its verification system following Elon Musk’s takeover in a $44 billion deal.
Previously, blue checkmarks were given to prominent figures or organizations at no cost to verify their authenticity. However, the company decided to link the badge to a Twitter Blue subscription in order to make a profit.
Those who had a blue check before Musk’s takeover were allowed to keep it, but Twitter has now announced that they will remove the badge from accounts that haven’t signed up for Blue.
This means that many celebrities, politicians, and journalists will lose their badge on April 1 if they don’t subscribe to Twitter Blue. The premium service costs $8 per month via the web or $11 per month in-app. Organizations can sign up for the premium service at a discounted rate.
This change has sparked mixed reactions from the Twitter community. Some worry that this move will give imposters more credibility, while others feel that the verification system became meaningless when it was linked to Twitter Blue. Musk previously stated his intention to eliminate legacy badges as he believed many were not genuine.
