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USERS ON THE social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, will now be allowed to hide their once-prized blue check marks, the company says.
A coveted status symbol at Twitter before Elon Musk bought the company, the blue checks have been mocked by some as a sign that the user is willing to pay for special treatment.
“As a subscriber, you can choose to hide your checkmark on your account,” an X help page said on Wednesday.
“The checkmark will be hidden on your profile and posts.”
Blue ticks, long free at Twitter, were intended to signal the identity of certain users — such as journalists, celebrities and politicians — had been verified in an effort to build trust in the platform.
But Musk decried that as a “lords & peasants system,” and opened up access to the check marks to anyone who paid for a Blue subscription — an $8 per month program which gives users access to other special features as well.
He quickly put the program on a temporary hold after problems with people buying tick marks and impersonating high-profile personalities, including the tycoon himself.
In April, the eccentric billionaire then followed through with a long-promised move to strip free blue ticks from Twitter users.
Some praised the move as egalitarian while others decried it as being shaken down for money to safeguard their status on the platform.
Wordsmith Stephen King, who had previously vowed he would never cough up, even telling Musk that Twitter should instead be paying him to post, appeared horrified to discover that he still had his blue check.
Musk said in response to a news article about the check marks at the time that he was “paying for a few personally,” and replied to King’s message with “You’re welcome namaste.”
Word that X Blue subscribers can try to hide that fact prompted one user to fire off a post contending that Musk “destroyed a decade old symbol of trust and turned it into a mark of shame.”
A post from the X account @ianvisits said that “Blue ticks are now so toxic that you can hide the fact that you have one.”
Other paid-for features, such as posts longer than 280 characters, may still allow other users to identify a Blue subscriber even if their blue tick has been hidden.
“The checkmark may still appear in some places and some features could still reveal you have an active subscription,” X said at its help page.
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May she enjoy endless G&Ts in the Rovers Return up above
Yates you just can’t help yourself. Rip very sad news
RIP Anne.
I remember when she was interviewed on the Late-late show, very warm person.
Apparently, most of the time, the famous glasses had no lenses in them, to avoid flaring with all the studio lighting, and Anne would simply wear the frames & use contact lenses.
Very sad. 60 isn’t old at all. When we have all grown up over the years and watched her, and others, on tv, its like we have a personal connection with them and sudden deaths like this makes it personal for all of us too. May she r.i.p.
60 is old .
Macus Mc Mahon
May you live to see 60 & well beyond.
And may you find maturity along the way.
Aw that’s sad news, I for one will miss her from our screens!
Rest In Peace
Rip
Very sad news. A super actress that will be sorely missed on the cobbles. Goodnight Deirdre.
What did she die of?
a Monday.
RIP Deirdre Luv x
Haven’t watched the show since I was a kid. But I remember her like she was an old friend . Very sad news.
Very sad news…Brilliant actress…R.I.P…
Aw deirdre and those glasses rip Anne
Corrie fans will miss her Rip
Who’ll walk Eccles now! RIP Anne.
A true tv icon,to the British Isles and Ireland at least. Very young to go at 60. Feels like she’s been around a lifetime too. May she Rest in Peace
You’re free now, Deirdre Rachid. RIP.
Sergeant it might need a good idea for you to take up watching s few soaps, Then you wouldn’t have to spend so much time thinking of nonsense to type.
@Sergeant Yates..And theres no doubt your own passing ,whenever it comes,will go completely un noticed yates..you are a sad excuse for a human
So sad. I’m goin’ upstairs to play me tapes.
R.I.P you will be missed of our TV’s.
Corrie fans will miss her, Rip
And her family
Very sad RIP
Her rendition of Rihanna is one of my favourite TV moments!
RIP chuck !
Rest in peace weatherfield one.
Wow shocked. Rest in peace deepest condolences to her family and friends.
Who’ll walk Eccles now. RIP Anne.
Yates… Nothing nice to say.. Then don’t bother saying anything at all
There’s a lot of hate in you Yates, chill man
Meretricious = flashy, pretentious. Really? A lot of people admired this lady because of her acting brilliancy, being real and stayed for 44 years. So all of us that admired her could hardly be accused of meretriciously.
You’re not into capital letters either, are you?
See if your so funny when death visits your door..# karma
Trolls don’t have front doors
So sad as she has been a small part of some of our lives for many many years, hard to believe she has been in Corrie for 44 years. Anyway rest in peace Deirdre, yet another person gone well before their time
Rip corrie won’t be the same:/
Reunited again with Blanche….! RIP
Fantastic actress and seemed a lovely lady in real life. Irreplaceable
I thought she was more than 60. RIP.
Don’t watch it anymore but she was a brilliant actress she will be sorely missed on the cobbles and by her husband David…RIP.
I havent watched the show in years was she still there or had she left just curious very young to die RIP
Rest in peace Ann Kilbride a wonderful actress in Corrie and will be a big loss to the Corrie .
Yates correct name Should be Mr Hankey.
He’s no more than a piece of P##.
RIP Anne.
I wonder was it related to all the fags she smoked, im guessing yes. Still sad though.
I dont think she ever got over being falsely accused and thrown in the big house…
have your say