Twitter announced on Thursday that starting April 1, it will begin “winding down” its legacy verified checkmarks, which are used to distinguish real accounts from impostors.
Twitter said those wishing to keep a blue checkmark can pay $8 a month for its Twitter Blue service.
Prior to the announcement, Twitter placed blue checkmarks next to people and organizations prone to copycat accounts. Many official governments and political organizations and leaders have verification badges.
Also, many celebrities and journalists have blue checkmarks.
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For individuals who are verified, Twitter generally requires users to confirm their identity.
But after Elon Musk took control of Twitter last year, he vowed to change the verification process.
“The whole verification process is being revamped right now.”
“The blue Verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic,” Twitter previously said. “To be Verified, your account must be notable and active.”
Now, those with legacy blue checkmarks have the following message: “This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, noted that the change comes on April Fools Day. Twitter faced challenges rolling out its Twitter Blue platform. When it initially launched, users were able to obtain blue checks while posing as celebrities and prominent people, including Musk himself.
“Last time they tried this someone pretended to be Eli Lilly and tanked their stock price by pretending insulin was free,” she tweeted.
