April 21, 2023
Bye, Bye Blue Checks: Twitter Removes Legacy Blue Checks From Popular Accounts
It’s been real. If your Twitter timeline looked slightly different yesterday, it’s because your favorite celebrities and dignitaries were stripped of their right to a blue check.
CNN reports Twitter pulled blue verification check marks from users who didn’t sign up for the subscription service almost instantly. It wasn’t just celebs and popular accounts sporting a new look—government agencies such as the official account for US Citizenship and Immigration Services—also lost the iconic blue checks.
Government accounts are supposed to receive gray checks.
Since Elon Musk took over the social media platform, users have experienced several glitches, and this process was no different. According to NBC News, some users reported they saw their blue check marks disappear, then reappear, only to disappear again. Twitter describes verified accounts as “verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number,” but with some legacy verified profiles continuing to hold on to their check marks, the new verbiage is drawing speculations that some of the celebrities paid for the $8 Twitter Blue subscription.
It wasn’t all bad news. Some celebrities had fun on Twitter after learning about their account’s new look. Halle Berry, who has become comedic gold on the app, posted a funny meme.
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) April 20, 2023
Singer Ciara says she isn’t worried about it—her fans got her.
Blue check or no check… I know my fans still checkin. ❤️
— Ciara (@ciara) April 20, 2023
Rapper The Game tweeted he was good, as long as the real checks are still coming in.
Musk has some favorites he’s keeping the blue checks for. People reported that the billionaire tweeted he is paying for the subscription service for some notable figures.