Elon Musk's Twitter Purge Goes Awry: Legacy Blue Checks Targeted at Major News Outlet
In a bizarre twist, Elon Musk's highly anticipated purge of blue check marks on Twitter has instead singled out the main account of the New York Times. When users woke up on Saturday expecting their coveted verification badges to disappear, they were shocked to find that most legacy blue check holders had been appended with a new label.
The move comes as part of Musk's ongoing campaign against "legacy" blue checks, which he claims are unnecessary and create an uneven playing field for high-profile users. However, experts warn that this new labeling system could actually make it easier for scammers to impersonate verified accounts.
Under Twitter's old verification system, blue checks were reserved for protecting high-profile users at risk of impersonation. But Musk has since announced that users would have to pay $8 per month to join the platform's Twitter Blue subscription service in order to stay verified.
Instead of a blanket purge, Twitter seems to have targeted the New York Times' main account specifically after the outlet expressed its reluctance to pay for verification. Musk himself took to Twitter to lash out at the Times, claiming that its coverage is boring and "propaganda."
The move has left many users confused and frustrated, particularly those who have long relied on the blue check mark as a symbol of credibility. As one user pointed out, the new labeling system makes it unclear whether verified accounts are notable individuals or simply users who have paid to join Twitter Blue.
This incident highlights Musk's tendency to make changes to Twitter without careful consideration for the platform's users. By implementing this confusing new system, Musk may inadvertently create more opportunities for scammers and impersonators.
While Musk claims that his goal is to "treat everyone equally," critics argue that this approach creates an uneven playing field for high-profile users who are already widely recognized. As one expert noted, "there shouldn't be a different standard for celebrities."
The move also raises questions about the value of paid verification and whether it's a viable solution to the issue of impersonation on Twitter. With Musk pushing for higher revenue streams, it's unclear what the long-term implications will be for users who have come to rely on this feature.
For now, the New York Times' main account remains without its coveted blue check mark, while other verified accounts continue to sport their labels. As one thing is certain, Twitter's verification system has never been more confusing – and that's unlikely to change anytime soon.
In a bizarre twist, Elon Musk's highly anticipated purge of blue check marks on Twitter has instead singled out the main account of the New York Times. When users woke up on Saturday expecting their coveted verification badges to disappear, they were shocked to find that most legacy blue check holders had been appended with a new label.
The move comes as part of Musk's ongoing campaign against "legacy" blue checks, which he claims are unnecessary and create an uneven playing field for high-profile users. However, experts warn that this new labeling system could actually make it easier for scammers to impersonate verified accounts.
Under Twitter's old verification system, blue checks were reserved for protecting high-profile users at risk of impersonation. But Musk has since announced that users would have to pay $8 per month to join the platform's Twitter Blue subscription service in order to stay verified.
Instead of a blanket purge, Twitter seems to have targeted the New York Times' main account specifically after the outlet expressed its reluctance to pay for verification. Musk himself took to Twitter to lash out at the Times, claiming that its coverage is boring and "propaganda."
The move has left many users confused and frustrated, particularly those who have long relied on the blue check mark as a symbol of credibility. As one user pointed out, the new labeling system makes it unclear whether verified accounts are notable individuals or simply users who have paid to join Twitter Blue.
This incident highlights Musk's tendency to make changes to Twitter without careful consideration for the platform's users. By implementing this confusing new system, Musk may inadvertently create more opportunities for scammers and impersonators.
While Musk claims that his goal is to "treat everyone equally," critics argue that this approach creates an uneven playing field for high-profile users who are already widely recognized. As one expert noted, "there shouldn't be a different standard for celebrities."
The move also raises questions about the value of paid verification and whether it's a viable solution to the issue of impersonation on Twitter. With Musk pushing for higher revenue streams, it's unclear what the long-term implications will be for users who have come to rely on this feature.
For now, the New York Times' main account remains without its coveted blue check mark, while other verified accounts continue to sport their labels. As one thing is certain, Twitter's verification system has never been more confusing – and that's unlikely to change anytime soon.
. I don't think it makes sense for users who have paid $8/month to join Twitter Blue to get a label just because they've got the money 
. It feels like Musk is trying to nickel and dime people into paying more, rather than fixing the real issue of impersonation.
It's not like you can just pay for it anymore... or so I thought 
. This new system is all about creating an uneven playing field where high-profile users have an advantage over everyone else.
. It makes me question the value of paying for verification altogether 
I think this whole thing is just another example of how Twitter's lost its way since Musk took over 
but still... if it helps prevent scammers from impersonating verified accounts then maybe it's not so bad?
. The whole thing just smells fishy, you know? He says it's about "treat[ing] everyone equally" but really it's just a power play to make himself look important 
. And what's up with the new labeling system? It's like he wants to confuse people on purpose 
. One thing for sure is that this move will only make Twitter a mess more and create even more opportunities for scammers 
so like this is what happens when you try to fix a problem with a bunch of patches 
instead of a solid foundation. Musk thinks he can just slap a label on legacy blue checks and call it a day? 
nope, that's not how it works 
. if you mess with the foundation, the whole thing comes crumpling down 
that's not equality, that's just plain weird 
. I mean, what's next? paying for good grammar? 
this whole thing just screams "musk made a huge mistake" 
? Anyway, can't wait to see how this whole thing plays out and what other surprises Musk has in store for us 
It's like, don't get me wrong, I'm all for Elon Musk trying to shake things up, but this is just unnecessary drama 
. And honestly, it feels kinda shady that he's targeting specific accounts like the New York Times because they didn't want to pay for verification... 
i mean elon musk wants to get rid of legacy blue checks but now the ny times main account is still blue lol like how is this even possible 
.
. So, he decides to target the New York Times' main account specifically because they don't want to pay for verification? That doesn't make any sense to me 
? It's like, who thought that was a good idea? I get that Musk wants to crack down on scammers but this is just gonna make it easier for them to impersonate people who already have verification 
. And what about all the other verified accounts who are still gonna have their blue check marks? What's the point of even having a label if it's not just a clear "verified" indicator 
.