Starting on April 1st, Twitter will remove blue verification badges from all verified accounts, and only “Twitter Blue” subscribers paying an $8 monthly fee will be able to obtain them. However, this change also causes issues for previously authenticated users who opt not to subscribe.
The blue checks are no longer regarded as a mere verification of a public figure or a notable account holder’s identity, but rather as a status symbol that Musk is attempting to monetize.
According to reports, many major news organizations are refusing to pay the monthly fee, with some conceding only in rare cases where the verified status is essential for reporting. The New York Times has stated that it would not pay the monthly fee for verification of its institutional Twitter accounts and will not reimburse reporters for the verification of personal accounts. Similarly, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Buzzfeed, Politico, and Vox Media have all stated that they will not be subscribing to Twitter Blue or reimbursing employees for it.
They believe that the blue checkmark no longer signifies credibility or authority and that paying for it would not provide any value other than identifying them as employees of their respective organizations. Musk, who had initially unveiled Twitter Blue in October, had stated that Twitter had to charge for blue checks to be profitable.
However, he is incorrect if he thinks that removing verification from legacy accounts will persuade account holders to sign up for Twitter Blue. According to reports, several news outlets have informed their employees that they will not budge this week.
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