Starting April 1, Elon Musk‘s Twitter will remove the traditional blue checkmarks from user accounts as it gradually phases out its long-standing verification program, Twitter Blue.
What Happened: The Musk-owned microblogging site has expanded its subscription program Twitter Blue to worldwide users. Twitter will also begin “winding down” its legacy verified program and “legacy verified checkmarks.”
See Also: Elon Musk’s Efforts To Tackle Twitter Hate Speech Raises Eyebrows After Sprinklr Assessment
To keep the blue checkmarks, users must sign up for Twitter’s paid subscription model by paying $8 monthly through the web and $11 monthly through Apple Inc. AAPL iOS.
In a later tweet, Musk said, "Any individual person’s Twitter account affiliated with a verified organization is automatically verified."
Soon after Twitter announced the winding down deadline, several users took to the platform to share their reactions:
Why It’s Important: Being verified on Twitter traditionally came with prestige as it enabled other users and followers to know that the account is legitimate.
On Nov. 1, last year, Musk first announced that Twitter Blue would be available to all, but with a price tag.
At the time, he tweeted, “Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bullshit. Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.”
However, the service was soon paused after the platform was flooded with verified trolls that didn’t spare Twitter CEO himself. The platform relaunched the service in December.
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Read Next: Elon Musk Says ‘I Hate Hashtags’ — Feature Inventor Says They’re ‘Doing Just Fine Without Twitter’
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