Twitter Inc.'s new "official" gray check mark has disappeared hours after it was first spotted, but wait — there's more to this story.
What Happened: After YouTuber Marques Brownlee noted that the "official" badge had disappeared, Tesla Inc TSLA CEO and now Twitter chief, Elon Musk, replied, "I just killed it."
Justifying the move, Musk reiterated that the original blue checkmark would democratize the service, calling it a "great leveler," reported Engadget.
However, Musk's statement about "killing" the "official" mark isn't a complete turnabout. Twitter VP Esther Crawford, also heading the Twitter Blue initiative, clarified that the "official" badge will only be handed to "government and commercial entities" initially. Individuals are not the focal point at first.
Why It's Important: Soon after the gray checks disappeared, Musk said that the microblogging site "will do lots of dumb things in coming months" and they'll only retain things that work. Crawford also said there are no "sacred cows" anymore – "many will fail, some will succeed."
It is uncertain who will get what check marks or what will be the vetting process to get the "official" label. For now, the only safe assumption is that Twitter's original tick will only be accompanied by an $8 per month Blue subscription, the report noted.
Read Next: He Who Must Not Be Impersonated? Verified Twitter Accounts Mimicking Elon Musk Get The Ax
Photo courtesy: Thomas Hawk on Flickr
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
