Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, has announced that the company will soon be removing all legacy blue checkmarks from accounts. The blue checkmark, also known as the verified badge, appears next to a user’s name on their Twitter profile and indicates that the account is authentic and belongs to a notable figure in society, such as a celebrity or public figure.

Twitter to remove verified badges from non-Twitter Blue accounts

In a tweet, Musk said that the way in which the blue checks were given out was “corrupt and nonsensical.” He did not provide any further details on what he meant by this or why the company is removing the verified badges.

From now on, the blue checkmark will only be given to users who subscribe to Twitter Blue, Twitter’s premium tier that offers extra features. Signups for Twitter Blue relaunched on Monday. The tier costs $8 per month for web signups, and $11 per month for iPhone or iPad signups. Android users can sign up via the web.

Twitter explains the new approach to blue checkmarks on its website. It says that the blue checkmark used to be attached to “active, notable, and authentic accounts of public interest that Twitter had independently verified based on certain requirements.” But going forward, only accounts that sign up to Twitter Blue will be eligible for the blue checkmark, once the user has been verified. To receive or retain the blue mark, the account must show a display name and profile photo, and have a confirmed phone number.

It is unclear how the removal of the verified badges will affect Twitter users and the platform as a whole. Some have suggested that it could lead to more confusion and misinformation on the platform, while others believe it could level the playing field and make it easier for ordinary users to gain recognition and followers.

In a further revamp of its verification system, company accounts on Twitter will receive a gold checkmark, while government accounts will receive a gray one.

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