Elon Musk's Plan for Twitter Verification Mark Backfires as He Singles Out New York Times' Account.
In a surprise move, Twitter has announced that it will no longer be issuing blue check marks to users under its old verification system. As part of this change, all verified users would have to pay $8 per month to join the platform's Twitter Blue subscription service. This new policy was intended to weed out impersonators and protect high-profile users from being scammed.
However, instead of targeting legacy blue-check holders, Elon Musk has decided to target a single account - that of The New York Times. On Saturday, users woke up expecting their blue check marks to have disappeared due to the new policy, only to find that their verification status remained unchanged with an added label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account."
This move has left many wondering why The New York Times' main account lost its blue check mark but others remained unscathed. A spokesperson for the publication reiterated that they do not plan to pay for verification, raising questions about whether this decision was taken out of spite.
Musk's actions have been met with widespread criticism from high-profile users and experts alike. While Musk has claimed that changes to Twitter's verification system will "treat everyone equally," critics argue that the new policy is nothing more than a way to drive revenue through paid subscriptions.
Experts also warn that the new label could make it easier for scammers to impersonate verified accounts, potentially leading to an increase in inauthentic behavior on the platform. As Musk continues to push for these changes, many are left wondering what his true intentions are and whether this decision is driven by a genuine desire to improve user safety or simply to line his own pockets.
The move has also highlighted Twitter's struggles with consistency and communication when it comes to its verification system. After laying off most of its public relations staff last fall, the platform seems to be struggling to address the concerns of its users in a timely manner.
As the debate surrounding Musk's changes continues, one thing is certain - the future of Twitter's verification system looks more uncertain than ever.
In a surprise move, Twitter has announced that it will no longer be issuing blue check marks to users under its old verification system. As part of this change, all verified users would have to pay $8 per month to join the platform's Twitter Blue subscription service. This new policy was intended to weed out impersonators and protect high-profile users from being scammed.
However, instead of targeting legacy blue-check holders, Elon Musk has decided to target a single account - that of The New York Times. On Saturday, users woke up expecting their blue check marks to have disappeared due to the new policy, only to find that their verification status remained unchanged with an added label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account."
This move has left many wondering why The New York Times' main account lost its blue check mark but others remained unscathed. A spokesperson for the publication reiterated that they do not plan to pay for verification, raising questions about whether this decision was taken out of spite.
Musk's actions have been met with widespread criticism from high-profile users and experts alike. While Musk has claimed that changes to Twitter's verification system will "treat everyone equally," critics argue that the new policy is nothing more than a way to drive revenue through paid subscriptions.
Experts also warn that the new label could make it easier for scammers to impersonate verified accounts, potentially leading to an increase in inauthentic behavior on the platform. As Musk continues to push for these changes, many are left wondering what his true intentions are and whether this decision is driven by a genuine desire to improve user safety or simply to line his own pockets.
The move has also highlighted Twitter's struggles with consistency and communication when it comes to its verification system. After laying off most of its public relations staff last fall, the platform seems to be struggling to address the concerns of its users in a timely manner.
As the debate surrounding Musk's changes continues, one thing is certain - the future of Twitter's verification system looks more uncertain than ever.
! I'm so confused about this whole situation. First, they're trying to make everyone pay for blue check marks and now Elon Musk is singling out The New York Times' account? What's going on here?! 
The label they added is kinda funny though - it sounds like they're basically saying "we'll give you a check mark if you pay us". Not very trustworthy, right? 
. He's like, "Hey, I'll just add a label to The New York Times' account and suddenly that's cool?" Newsflash, dude: it's not cool, it's awkward 
. And don't even get me started on the whole paid subscription thing - it's just a way for him to rake in more cash 
. I mean, what's next? Charging us for breathing on Twitter's servers? 
. He thinks he can just play favorites with his buddies and expect us to trust him? Not buying it 
. The whole thing feels like a PR stunt to distract us from the fact that Twitter's verification system is still a hot mess 
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. One thing's for sure: Twitter's users deserve better than this kind of drama 
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. And now we got experts saying it could even attract more scammers? Interesting 
... how did this whole thing go from trying to weed out impersonators to just another way to make cash?