Twitter Removes Blue Verified Badge of Non-Paying Users: The Full Story

Twitter has recently removed legacy blue verified badges from profiles that are not subscribed to the Twitter Blue subscription. Many Twitter users who were verified under the old system have lost their coveted blue tick mark from their profile, as promised by the company owner Elon Musk earlier this month. Twitter initially planned to remove legacy verified badges from April 1, but only select users lost the blue tick from their profile. However, now Twitter has made it clear that all non-paying users will lose their verified badge if they do not subscribe to Twitter Blue before April 20.

So, why did Twitter take this decision, and does it make sense to take a Twitter Blue subscription just for the verified badge? Let's take a closer look at the full story in 10 points.

Twitter's Plan to Revamp Twitter Blue Subscription

Twitter announced its plans to roll out a revamped Twitter Blue subscription last year following Elon Musk's takeover. With the new subscription, users will automatically receive the blue tick mark if their mobile number is verified.

The Old Verification System

Under the old system, Twitter distributed blue badges to profiles to help others know that the account was of public interest. Users had to apply for the badges by filling out a form. However, the old verification system was not always fair, and the process felt somewhat arbitrary.

Musk Wants to Get Rid of Exclusivity

Elon Musk wants to get rid of the exclusivity from the platform. Instead, he wants users to easily get the blue badge and enjoy some premium features by paying for a subscription.

Criticisms of Musk's Decision

Many celebrities and news outlets have criticised Musk's decision to bundle the blue badge with the Twitter Blue subscription. During Blue's initial rollout, many accounts with random usernames and deceptive profile pictures got verified. Some even fear that Twitter Blue, which bundles the verified badge, will validate accounts with spam-like behaviour.

The Latest Update

Before the current update, Twitter users with legacy blue ticks were followed by Twitter's Verified account. Twitter had over four lakh verified users. However, now several celebrities have lost the coveted blue tick, including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Virat Kohli. International celebrities with active Twitter profiles, including Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Lady Gaga, are not verified anymore either.

Some Profiles Are Still Verified

However, some Twitter profiles are still verified even after not subscribing to Twitter Blue. This includes author Stephen King and NBA player LeBron James. A user suggests that "Elon Musk has decided to personally intervene to provide blue checks to Stephen King and LeBron James, falsely saying they paid for Twitter Blue because each made high-profile tweets saying they definitely wouldn't pay for it."

Why Twitter Blue?

The Twitter Blue subscription includes several features such as undo tweets, bookmark folders, reader mode, and colour themes. However, the verified badge is the most important feature for many users.

Should You Subscribe to Twitter Blue?

If you want to keep your blue verified badge, you should subscribe to Twitter Blue before April 20. However, if you're not interested in the premium features that come with Twitter Blue, it may not make sense for you to pay for the subscription just to keep your blue tick mark.

The Future of Twitter Verification

It's unclear what Twitter's plans for verification are beyond the current situation. Twitter has announced that it will launch a new verification process soon, but it hasn't provided any details yet.

Reference News: India News