New Delhi: Social users were left stunned after micro-blogging site Twitter on Thursday removed the legacy verified blue ticks from all accounts.
The only individual Twitter users who have verified blue checkmarks are those subscribed to Twitter Blue, which costs ₹650/month.
Due to the recent development, several B-town celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt and politicians like CM Yogi Adityanath, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma among others have lost their verified blue ticks from their Twitter accounts.
Earlier it was announced that the microblogging site will remove the verified check-mark status of accounts that Twitter had been verified as notable before Elon Musk’s takeover unless they have subscribed to Twitter Blue or the business-focused Twitter Verified Organizations plan, Variety reported.
Initially, the blue tick served as a way of protecting well-known individuals from impersonation and tackling false information.
Earlier in March, Twitter posted from their official handle, “On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue.
Twitter first introduced the blue check mark system in 2009 to help users identify that celebrities, politicians, companies and brands, news organizations and other accounts “of public interest” were genuine and not impostors or parody accounts. The company didn’t previously charge for verification.
Musk launched Twitter Blue with the check-mark badge as one of the premium perks within two weeks of the company’s takeover last year.