Twitter, a social media platform that has been plagued by chaos and controversies, is once again making headlines. The company has announced that it will be removing "legacy verified checkmarks" on April 1st, which happens to be the day of pranks and mischief. This news comes shortly after the global launch of Twitter Blue subscriptions.
The "legacy checkmarks" are verification badges that were implemented under Twitter's previous policies, prior to Elon Musk taking over as CEO. To retain your badge, you'll need to subscribe to Twitter Blue, which costs $8 per month or $84 per year and offers additional features such as the ability to edit or undo your Tweets and compose longer messages. Whether or not the subscription fee is worth it is a personal decision. Personally, I don't find it necessary.
This announcement isn't particularly surprising, as Musk has been discussing the removal of legacy verified checkmarks for some time. While he believes that the badges were awarded in a "corrupt and nonsensical" manner, they are still a useful means of verifying the authenticity of an account. Celebrities, brands, and journalists were among those who commonly received verification badges in the past, while government accounts can still apply for a grey checkmark.
Selecting April Fools' Day for the removal of the legacy checkmarks is a daring move. It's natural to question if Elon Musk is merely trolling his followers. I've also considered the possibility, particularly since Musk has a penchant for incorporating the numbers 69 and 420 into his business. However, the Twitter Verified account was the source of the announcement, making it appear to be genuine. Time will reveal the true motives behind this move.
