Twitter Blue Rolls Out Globally, Legacy Verified Marks to Be Removed From April 1
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| image credit - Twitter |
Twitter Inc. announced today that the "Legacy" verification badge will be phased out in April as it makes the Twitter Blue paid verification service available worldwide.
Twitter Blue originally launched in November 2021 but was rebranded a year later under Elon Musk's ownership. What was originally intended as a service Musk has modified to offer fewer ads and additional features like the ability to edit tweets with user consent, the so-called "blue tick" at the bottom of the screen.
Previously, verification was only granted to Twitter users the company deemed appropriate. But Musk has other ideas, saying the blue tick feature should be democratized and open to everyone. It's over $2.99.
The elimination of what Twitter now calls legacy authentication will result in nearly 420,000 accounts owned by journalists, politicians, business leaders and others losing their blue badge for not opting into Twitter Blue.
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
— Twitter Verified (@verified) March 23, 2023
Organizations can sign up for https://t.co/RlN5BbuGA3…
The date of the Change, April 1st, and the 420,000 existing verified old accounts scream musk trolling, and perhaps rightly so. April Fools' Day and a marijuana joke is a fun way to do business.
Beyond the overhaul, Twitter Blue continues to be criticized in many areas for not delivering on all of Musk's promises. While Twitter Blue offers authentication and the ability to write long tweets, conversations aren't ranked and subscribers don't see a drop in ads, despite Twitter and Twitter Blue's claims.
Twitter Blue is now available globally! Sign up today to get your blue checkmark, prioritized ranking in conversations, half ads, long Tweets, Bookmark Folders, custom navigation, Edit Tweet, Undo Tweet, and more. Sign up here: https://t.co/SBRLJccMxD
— Twitter Blue (@TwitterBlue) March 23, 2023
Musk's decisions following the Twitter acquisition, including Blue Twitter, are also under investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission.
On March 7, it was reported that the agency was trying to find out how the company was doing on several issues, most notably the massive Twitter layoffs, Twitter Blue and the even more controversial Twitter files. which appeared before Musk on Twitter.