Twitter’s blue tick verification system has been a subject of controversy for a while now. On Thursday, the implementation of Elon Musk’s promise to get rid of free blue ticks on Twitter began, as several high-profile accounts saw their blue ticks removed. Among the casualties was the Pope, whose 18.8 million followers on the @Pontifex account would now be without the blue badge.
Musk had earlier offered to sell blue ticks to anyone willing to pay $8 a month, in a move that he said would democratize journalism and empower the voice of the people. Many high-profile accounts, including reporters, had their blue ticks removed, causing an uproar among the Twitter community.
However, not all accounts lost their blue ticks. The Dalai Lama’s account remained verified, and Rihanna and LeBron James still have their blue ticks. Eric Trump and former President Donald Trump lost their blue ticks, but Ivanka and Don Trump Jr. still have theirs.
JK Rowling’s account was left unverified, and Stephen King was surprised to find that he still had his blue tick. Musk admitted to paying for some blue ticks personally and also extended a complimentary subscription to LeBron James on behalf of himself.
Musk has been vocal about his dislike for the “lords & peasants system” on Twitter, where journalists, celebrities, and politicians were given a mark that supposedly meant their accounts could be trusted. He wanted to get rid of the system and make Twitter more democratic. However, the implementation of this move has left many accounts without the blue badge, causing uproar among Twitterati.
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