Elon Musk's Twitter Purge Goes Awry as High-Profile Accounts Are Targeted
In a move that was expected to eliminate blue check marks from legacy accounts, Elon Musk instead singled out one prominent account for removal. The New York Times' main account, which had previously declined to pay for verification, lost its coveted blue mark after posting a meme about the decision on Saturday.
Musk's decision comes as part of his long-standing campaign against "legacy" blue checks, which he claims are unnecessary and create an unfair advantage for high-profile users. However, experts argue that this new system could make it easier for scammers to impersonate verified accounts.
The change was implemented just a week before the previously announced purge of legacy blue check marks on April 1. Twitter had said that users would have to pay $8 per month to join the platform's Twitter Blue subscription service in order to stay verified.
However, most users found that their verification marks were not deleted but rather appended with a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This change makes it unclear whether verified accounts are actually notable individuals or simply users who have paid for the feature.
While other high-profile accounts, such as those from actors and anti-bullying activists, were spared from the purge, the decision has raised concerns among experts that the new system could drive revenue for Musk while potentially increasing the number of bots on the platform.
Musk's actions have been met with criticism from journalists and media outlets, including the New York Times. The billionaire has a history of clashing with prominent voices in the media, often using Twitter to lash out at critics or journalists who he believes are "boring" or "propaganda."
The latest move has added to the confusion on the platform, where users are struggling to understand why some accounts remain verified while others have been stripped of their blue check marks. As Musk continues to guide changes to the platform through his whims rather than policy, it remains to be seen whether this new system will ultimately achieve its intended goal or create more problems for Twitter users.
In a separate move, Twitter's blue bird logo was replaced with doge, the meme representing the cryptocurrency dogecoin, which Musk has promoted. The price of dogecoin surged 20% on Monday, further highlighting Musk's influence over the platform and his attempts to drive revenue through new features.
The decision marks another chapter in Musk's long campaign against legacy blue checks, a move that has raised concerns among experts about its potential impact on Twitter users and the spread of misinformation on the platform.
In a move that was expected to eliminate blue check marks from legacy accounts, Elon Musk instead singled out one prominent account for removal. The New York Times' main account, which had previously declined to pay for verification, lost its coveted blue mark after posting a meme about the decision on Saturday.
Musk's decision comes as part of his long-standing campaign against "legacy" blue checks, which he claims are unnecessary and create an unfair advantage for high-profile users. However, experts argue that this new system could make it easier for scammers to impersonate verified accounts.
The change was implemented just a week before the previously announced purge of legacy blue check marks on April 1. Twitter had said that users would have to pay $8 per month to join the platform's Twitter Blue subscription service in order to stay verified.
However, most users found that their verification marks were not deleted but rather appended with a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This change makes it unclear whether verified accounts are actually notable individuals or simply users who have paid for the feature.
While other high-profile accounts, such as those from actors and anti-bullying activists, were spared from the purge, the decision has raised concerns among experts that the new system could drive revenue for Musk while potentially increasing the number of bots on the platform.
Musk's actions have been met with criticism from journalists and media outlets, including the New York Times. The billionaire has a history of clashing with prominent voices in the media, often using Twitter to lash out at critics or journalists who he believes are "boring" or "propaganda."
The latest move has added to the confusion on the platform, where users are struggling to understand why some accounts remain verified while others have been stripped of their blue check marks. As Musk continues to guide changes to the platform through his whims rather than policy, it remains to be seen whether this new system will ultimately achieve its intended goal or create more problems for Twitter users.
In a separate move, Twitter's blue bird logo was replaced with doge, the meme representing the cryptocurrency dogecoin, which Musk has promoted. The price of dogecoin surged 20% on Monday, further highlighting Musk's influence over the platform and his attempts to drive revenue through new features.
The decision marks another chapter in Musk's long campaign against legacy blue checks, a move that has raised concerns among experts about its potential impact on Twitter users and the spread of misinformation on the platform.
. I mean, he's trying to "clean up" Twitter but now it feels like he's just making a ton of money off verified accounts 
. Like, what's the point of having a blue check mark if anyone can just pay $8 a month to get one? 
It's just another example of how Musk thinks he's above the rules 
. And honestly, I'm kinda entertained by all the drama this is causing 
. The fact that the New York Times got their account taken away because they dared to make a meme about it? Priceless 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out 
.
And what's up with the doge logo? Like, who thought that was a good idea 
and honestly it's pretty frustrating for legit journalists and media outlets who are trying to do their job 
...like shouldn't they be able to have a blue check mark if they've earned it? 
...anyway i hope musk reconsiders his approach because right now it's just leading to more problems than solutions 
. it's like they're saying "hey we used to be cool but now you have to pay us money to not be cool again". and of course the NYT gets targeted because who doesn't love a good meme about a blue check mark 
. the real question is what's next, are we gonna start paying for our thoughts too?