Elon Musk recently restored blue checkmarks to some prominent Twitter users without their consent, sparking criticism.
According to reports, Musk said influential accounts with over 2,500 verified followers would get free Twitter Blue subscriptions, while those with over 5,000 would get Blue plus.
However, several high-profile users publicly expressed displeasure with the unsolicited change, with some sarcastically telling Musk they would never pay for verification or criticizing the platform.
18 months after having my verified status removed, it has suddenly been randomly reinstated? pic.twitter.com/ecqxDaun07
— John O'Nolan 🏴☠️ (@JohnONolan) April 4, 2024
The Wire creator David Simon was particularly blunt, telling Musk to scratch himself with the checkmark.
“What happened? I didn’t pay for this. I would NEVER pay for this,” community actor Yvette Nicole Brown wrote.
“Translation: Pay $8? Kidding. Help me. But don’t say anything too free speechy about me or my Garbage Tower of Babel [expletive],” Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright wrote.
Musk’s move represented a shift from his earlier stance that Twitter’s verification system was flawed.
The abrupt change and negative user responses highlighted ongoing tensions as Musk works to reshape Twitter’s policies.
