Twitter Purge: Why Elon Musk's Latest Move May Backfire on High-Profile Users
In a move that has left many high-profile users confused, Twitter boss Elon Musk appears to have singled out one major publication for his blue check mark purge, rather than going through with his initial plan to get rid of legacy verification altogether.
Instead of targeting the vast majority of verified accounts, Musk's latest update saw the blue check marks for all but one account - that of The New York Times - disappear. Instead of losing their coveted checks, users were met with a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." The change has raised questions over why certain accounts are being singled out, and whether Musk's move will ultimately drive revenue or confuse his already bewildered userbase.
The New York Times had previously stated that it would not be paying for verification under Twitter's new subscription service, which costs $8 per month. However, after an account affiliated with the publication posted a meme mocking the cost of verification, Musk swiftly took to Twitter to say "Oh ok, we'll take it off then." The move was seen as a symbolic gesture, and followed by a series of tweets that mocked the newspaper's coverage as boring and propaganda.
The controversy surrounding Twitter's blue check mark purge highlights Musk's tendency to make decisions based on whim rather than policy. With over 3 million active accounts at stake, the change could have far-reaching consequences for users, from high-profile journalists to everyday Twitter users who have grown accustomed to the familiar blue tick.
Despite Musk's claims that the new verification system is designed to treat everyone equally, critics argue that it may actually create more confusion and make it easier for scammers and impersonators to target high-profile users. The move also raises questions over whether reserving verification for paid users will truly reduce the number of bots on the platform.
The latest development comes as Musk continues to push his vision for Twitter's future, with a new color-coded verification system and plans to prioritize verified accounts in user feeds. While some may see these changes as a welcome attempt to clean up the platform, others are wary of Musk's motives and concerned about the impact on free speech and high-profile users.
As the dust settles on this latest Twitter controversy, one thing is clear: Musk's vision for the platform remains shrouded in uncertainty, leaving even his most devoted followers wondering what the next move will be.
In a move that has left many high-profile users confused, Twitter boss Elon Musk appears to have singled out one major publication for his blue check mark purge, rather than going through with his initial plan to get rid of legacy verification altogether.
Instead of targeting the vast majority of verified accounts, Musk's latest update saw the blue check marks for all but one account - that of The New York Times - disappear. Instead of losing their coveted checks, users were met with a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." The change has raised questions over why certain accounts are being singled out, and whether Musk's move will ultimately drive revenue or confuse his already bewildered userbase.
The New York Times had previously stated that it would not be paying for verification under Twitter's new subscription service, which costs $8 per month. However, after an account affiliated with the publication posted a meme mocking the cost of verification, Musk swiftly took to Twitter to say "Oh ok, we'll take it off then." The move was seen as a symbolic gesture, and followed by a series of tweets that mocked the newspaper's coverage as boring and propaganda.
The controversy surrounding Twitter's blue check mark purge highlights Musk's tendency to make decisions based on whim rather than policy. With over 3 million active accounts at stake, the change could have far-reaching consequences for users, from high-profile journalists to everyday Twitter users who have grown accustomed to the familiar blue tick.
Despite Musk's claims that the new verification system is designed to treat everyone equally, critics argue that it may actually create more confusion and make it easier for scammers and impersonators to target high-profile users. The move also raises questions over whether reserving verification for paid users will truly reduce the number of bots on the platform.
The latest development comes as Musk continues to push his vision for Twitter's future, with a new color-coded verification system and plans to prioritize verified accounts in user feeds. While some may see these changes as a welcome attempt to clean up the platform, others are wary of Musk's motives and concerned about the impact on free speech and high-profile users.
As the dust settles on this latest Twitter controversy, one thing is clear: Musk's vision for the platform remains shrouded in uncertainty, leaving even his most devoted followers wondering what the next move will be.
Interesting how Elon Musk is playing with fire here... like, he's trying to make a point but ends up confusing everyone instead 
. I mean, The New York Times got a free pass because of that meme? Yeah, okay, whatever 
. It just goes to show that Musk's not exactly the most stable person in charge 
. I don't know if people will actually start paying for those blue checks or if they'll just stick with the old system 
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. I mean, yeah, it's cool that he's trying to clean up the platform and all, but this blue check mark purge thingy is just so confusing. Like, who gets an exception? And what about all the other high-profile users who are gonna be messed with because of Musk's ego trip? 
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. What do you guys think? Should we trust Musk to get it right, or should we be keeping an eye on him from afar 
it's so confusing for all us twitters out there 
i mean if u r gonna do somethin, just do it right? not like this half-baked nonsense 
. But at the same time, I get why people are upset - it's like he's playing games with high-profile users' credibility 
.
. But hey, what do I know? I'm just a netizen trying to stay informed 
. Maybe this whole purge thing will be a blessing in disguise for Twitter - who knows? 
. I guess we'll have to wait and see how this plays out, but for now, I'm not exactly feeling the love for Twitter Blue 
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. The whole point of Twitter was to be inclusive, now it feels like it's just becoming another pay-to-play platform 
. I hope Musk has a clear plan for this, or he might end up driving away his most loyal users 
. but let's be real, it's not like that's going to stop them... they'll just find a way to work around it 
. and what about all the other verified accounts that aren't getting that fancy blue check mark? are they being targeted too? 
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. The whole thing just reeks of Musk making stuff up as he goes along... I need some actual proof or context before I believe any of this 
Newsflash, Elon: we're not buying it. And honestly, I think this whole thing is gonna backfire hard 
. It's like he's trying to confuse us on purpose 
It's like he thinks people won't notice if they're getting scammed left and right because of some fancy new verification system. 
Get the policy right, not some random whim of yours. 
It's time to hold him accountable and make sure these changes aren't gonna harm the platform or its users.