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TWITTER’S FAMOUS BLUE checkmark, which has traditionally signified verified and authentic accounts, appear to have been removed en masse across the site.
Owner Elon Musk, who has seen his $44 billion investment in the site shrink, previously pledged to get rid of what he described as a “lords & peasants system” by removing the marks.
Users including the Pope, Donald Trump and Cristiano Ronaldo no longer carry the blue tick.
My blue tick is gone. I won't be taking questions and I ask that you respect the privacy of my family and I as we navigate this difficult time.
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) April 20, 2023
The blue checkmark was originally given to companies, celebrities, government entities and journalists verified by the platform.
Some blue ticks remain, such as on Hollywood actor Russell Crowe’s account. The checkmark carries a message in some cases that the account “is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number” with the platform.
How do you do, fellow no-checks
— Natalie Wynn ❌ (@ContraPoints) April 20, 2023
It comes following an unsuccessful launch earlier today of the Musk-owned SpaceX’s largest rocket to date went awry, when it exploded nearly four minutes after its a first blast-off in Texas.
The rocket, Starship, did not separate correctly from it’s second stage, which holds the rocket’s boosters, and experienced what was described as “a rapid unscheduled disassembly”.
Some Twitter users, such as Irish comedian Michael Fry below, hopped on the laboured description for the explosion when noting the sudden disappearance of their accounts’ blue ticks.
My blue tick has experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly before stage separation
— Michael Fry (@BigDirtyFry) April 20, 2023
SpaceX founder Musk has sought to play down expectations for the risk-laden inaugural test flight, cast some doubt on whether the launch will actually go ahead today.
“The team is working around the clock on many issues,” Musk tweeted late Tuesday. “Maybe 4/20, maybe not.”
Containing reporting by AFP
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Love him or loathe him, he stands for free speech.
@west awake: Unless your free speech is at his expense of course…. then not so much and the ban hammer comes out. Weird. I also fail to see how removing the verified marks somehow aids in free speech.
@west awake: At best, Musk has a juvenile, dorm-room-level understanding of free speech.
@John Kieran G.: Maybe you can educate him, he’s only some clown who has earned $200,000,000,000.
@west awake: So what is he? Rich or in favour of free speech?
There was no “lords & Peasants system” that’s just something he’s plucked out of thin air. People liked knowing that they were following genuine accounts. Not that it really matters, Twitter seems to be dying a death once he took it over and began tinkering with the new toy. The only reason I still have an account is for logging in here!!
@SPQH: I think most free speech advocates welcome the takeover, vast improvement from the one sided narrative it was before.
And just like that nobody could remember who was a real celebrity or a fake celebrity.
Good. Free speech should always prevail. People angriest about this are those losing the ticks who no longer have a status symbol over everyone else. They are free to pay for one if they want. These celebrities have plenty of money!!
Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter and laid off half the staff, he’s planning on buying YouTube and Facebook and doing the same with them. To save even more money, he plans on merging the three companies into one…
…He’s going to call it YouTwitFace!!
Rainbow people are angry.
Who cares, Twitter is a fate filled platform now.
@Patrick Kelly: Do you mean “hate”? No evidence of that, you’re just parroting something you heard on TV.
Nooooooo now these poor celebrities will their millions in the bank will have to pay a tenner a month or whatever to have their little tick :-( Now governments and shady NGOS will have to spend millions or scrap verification for their bot and shill accounts that they use to push narratives. This is terrible :-(
Why do you need blue ticks anyway? Weirdos “following” celebrities instead of living their own lives.
Good boot up the hole is what the sheep folk need
So, nobody is going to notice the 420 but he tweeted?
@James Groden: I saw that and wondered
I wish you guys would clean up the trolls on here in a similar fashion
When is he going to allow free speech that he’s been virtue signalling for so long? You can’t even defame someone without multiple options to report you and have your tweet taken down
Maybe 4/20!! Most definitely
Musk bought Twitter knowing full well he will never get his money back. That’s why he had others invest with him..
Twitter has always been useless, always will be.
He’s comping and even paying for some blue ticks, for those who aren’t prepared or interested in paying! LOL
@John Kieran G.: His scam only works if celebs have blue ticks, of course…
And we are all the same on twitter but some people like wussel crow are more the same
We are individuals now!!!
Stay in your lane homie.
have your say