Twitter Purge: A Single Account Targeted as Blue Check Marks Tumble from High-Profile Users
Elon Musk's promise of a "purge" of blue check marks on Twitter has yielded an unexpected result. Instead of removing the coveted badges, which are meant to verify high-profile users, Musk's team has chosen to target just one account - that of the New York Times.
When Twitter announced its plan to wind down the old verification system in April, users were expected to lose their blue checks unless they paid $8 per month for Twitter Blue. However, most legacy blue check holders woke up on Saturday to find that their badges remained intact, albeit with a new label appended to them - "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account."
The change in language has sparked confusion among users, who are now unsure whether verified accounts are notable individuals or simply paying customers. The New York Times' main account lost its blue check over the weekend after Musk publicly targeted it on Twitter.
Musk had previously stated that individual users would have to pay for blue checks, but the move appears to be more about silencing critics than creating a level playing field. By targeting a single high-profile account like the New York Times, Musk's team has sent a clear message that only paying customers will receive verified badges.
This latest development in Twitter's ongoing transformation under Musk highlights the platform's tendency to create confusion and whiplash among users. With changes often driven by whims rather than policy, it's unclear what other surprises are in store for the social media giant.
The move has also raised questions about the effectiveness of the new verification system. Experts warn that muddling the reason accounts are verified could make it easier for people to scam or impersonate high-profile users. The impact on Twitter's already-battered reputation remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Musk's obsession with verified badges will continue to shape the platform in unpredictable ways.
Elon Musk's promise of a "purge" of blue check marks on Twitter has yielded an unexpected result. Instead of removing the coveted badges, which are meant to verify high-profile users, Musk's team has chosen to target just one account - that of the New York Times.
When Twitter announced its plan to wind down the old verification system in April, users were expected to lose their blue checks unless they paid $8 per month for Twitter Blue. However, most legacy blue check holders woke up on Saturday to find that their badges remained intact, albeit with a new label appended to them - "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account."
The change in language has sparked confusion among users, who are now unsure whether verified accounts are notable individuals or simply paying customers. The New York Times' main account lost its blue check over the weekend after Musk publicly targeted it on Twitter.
Musk had previously stated that individual users would have to pay for blue checks, but the move appears to be more about silencing critics than creating a level playing field. By targeting a single high-profile account like the New York Times, Musk's team has sent a clear message that only paying customers will receive verified badges.
This latest development in Twitter's ongoing transformation under Musk highlights the platform's tendency to create confusion and whiplash among users. With changes often driven by whims rather than policy, it's unclear what other surprises are in store for the social media giant.
The move has also raised questions about the effectiveness of the new verification system. Experts warn that muddling the reason accounts are verified could make it easier for people to scam or impersonate high-profile users. The impact on Twitter's already-battered reputation remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Musk's obsession with verified badges will continue to shape the platform in unpredictable ways.
... I mean, back in my day, we didn't need all these fancy labels to know who was important or not, you know? Now it's like, if you're paying $8 a month for Twitter Blue, you get a badge too 
... but the New York Times main account just lost its blue check over the weekend? That's just wild 
. I don't think it's fair to target a single high-profile account like that, it's like Musk is trying to silence critics or something 
... and now people are wondering if verified accounts are even notable individuals anymore 
... this whole thing just feels like a big mess 
this is what happens when you try to control a giant social media platform like Twitter - it's gonna get messy! 
. I mean, who needs blue checks anyway? 
just pay $8 and you're good to go... not 
.
. and what's with the new label thingy? are they trying to confuse us on purpose? 
either way, i'm still waiting for some real answers from Twitter about how this whole thing is gonna work.
not exactly the kind of leadership i want from my social media platforms.
. who knows what's next? maybe he'll decide to make us all pay for our followers or something 
. just peachy 
it's like they're trying to confuse users instead of making a level playing field 
now ppl r stuck w/ paid subs or nothin 
Elon's all about those verified badges, and now the Times' account is getting targeted just 'cause they spoke out against him? That's not exactly what I'd call a level playing field 
It's gonna be super confusing for users. And I'm all for keeping the good people online, but why not make it about being verified because they're notable individuals rather than just paying customers? 
**
? It's just weird, you know? And now people are all confused because their badges are still there but look different? What's the point of even having a verification system if it's just gonna be all up in the air? 
I think Musk is trying to send a message or something, but honestly, who knows what he wants at this point. It just seems like more drama for the sake of drama 