The Chaos of Twitter Verification: Living Legends, Fallen Stars, and Faux Accounts
The Aftermath of Twitter’s Checkmark Transition Under Elon Musk’s Leadership
The blue checkmark on Elon Musk’s Twitter profile, representing the recent chaos of Twitter’s checkmark transition.
As the dust settles after Twitter’s checkmark transition under Elon Musk’s ownership and leadership, it becomes apparent that the recent events have created more confusion than clarity. Over the weekend, Twitter applied checkmarks to the accounts of numerous well-known individuals who didn’t pay for them, including some deceased celebrities. At the same time, living celebrities who received the same checkmarks scrambled to inform their followers that they hadn’t paid for the Twitter Blue monthly subscription or verified their phone numbers.
The blue checkmark, which once symbolized notability and verification of identity on Twitter, has now become a source of conflict and miscommunication among users. Some celebrities have taken to expressing their displeasure at the insinuation that they are paying Elon Musk’s company $8 a month for the checkmark, while others have celebrated the removal of the checkmark from their profiles.
A fake Disney account was mistakenly awarded a gold verification badge, raising concerns about Twitter’s verification process
Twitter’s problematic verification process has also come to light with the awarding of a gold verification badge to a fake Disney account that posted racist slurs. Despite having a meager follower count and controversial content, the account received the gold checkmark before being suspended. This incident raises questions about Twitter’s ability to accurately identify official organizations and protect users from malicious accounts.
Deceased celebrities like Kobe Bryant have been ‘subscribed’ to Twitter Blue, causing confusion among users.
To add to the chaos, deceased celebrities such as Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, and Norm Macdonald have been labeled as subscribers to Twitter Blue, implying that their phone numbers have been verified. This creates a puzzling and unsettling situation for users, who struggle to understand the rationale behind these decisions.
Living celebrities like Jason Alexander are frustrated by the implication that they paid for their checkmarks.
With living celebrities being wrongly associated with subscribing to Twitter Blue, frustration and confusion continue to grow. Public figures like Jason Alexander and Ian McKellen have taken to Twitter to clarify that they did not pay for their checkmarks or verify their phone numbers, highlighting the disconnect between the platform’s new verification system and its user base.
As Twitter’s verification process continues to be marred by inconsistencies and errors, it’s clear that the platform has a long way to go in regaining the trust of its users. The blue checkmark, once a symbol of credibility and authenticity, has become a scarlet letter for the social network’s shortcomings.