Twitter, once the hallmark of authenticity and influence, is stirring up controversy with its latest move: offering free blue checks to users with over 2,500 “verified” followers, courtesy of their subscription to X Premium.
While this might seem like a boon for popular posters, not everyone is thrilled. The sudden influx of blue checks has sparked a frenzy, with users scrambling to clarify that they didn’t seek out the verification—it was bestowed upon them.
Former BuzzFeed editor Tom Gara, now adorned with the coveted blue check, humorously announced his newfound status: “Some personal news: I’m now a serial small business founder in Arizona who posts about fatherhood, faith and what it takes to get a roofing company to $100 million ARR.” Similarly, Business Insider senior correspondent Katie Notopoulos expressed her dismay, quipping, “This is punishment for posting too much.”
In the bygone era of Twitter, the blue check symbolized influence and authenticity. But today, amidst the rise of paid verification, it’s a nostalgic memory for those who witnessed its original purpose. In the halcyon days of 2022, Twitter was a different landscape, boasting real advertisers and a genuine attempt to combat misinformation.
Blue checks served as a marker of credibility, helping users identify genuine public figures amid the sea of profiles. Previously, possessing a blue check implied several things: a craving for significance, a desire for access to X’s premium features, battling relentless impersonation, or being an unfortunate victim of crypto spam bots.
.jpg "Twitter and X Logo")
However, Twitter’s recent pivot, offering free verification, signals a departure from this narrative. Elon Musk, often emblematic of Twitter’s eccentricities, seems to have reimagined the purpose of the blue check. Despite this shift, distinguishing between genuine and dubious accounts remains a challenge. The free blue checks may have reinstated the original intent behind verification, but they haven’t eradicated the ambiguity.
Users are left to navigate a digital landscape where authenticity is as elusive as ever, where a blue check might signify legitimacy or merely a subscription to X Premium.