Twitter 8 dollar Blue Checkmark change.

Twitter $8 Blue Checkmark

Part of a series on Elon Musk's Twitter Acquisition. [View Related Entries]
[View Related Sub-entries]

Updated Apr 21, 2023 at 06:48PM EDT by Zach.

Added Nov 02, 2022 at 12:12PM EDT by Philipp.

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry.

This submission is currently being researched & evaluated!

You can help confirm this entry by contributing facts, media, and other evidence of notability and mutation.

Overview

Twitter $8 Blue Checkmark refers to Elon Musk's proposition to introduce an $8 a month fee for verified Twitter profiles, commonly referred to as "blue checkmarks" or "blue checks." The proposal was suggested by Musk soon after his acquisition of Twitter in late October 2022 and became a viral subject of discussions online in early November that year, inspiring debate and controversy among many, including high-profile individuals such as Stephen King and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (who later feuded with Musk and suggested he shadow banned her).

Background

On October 30th, 2022, Platformer[1] reported that Elon Musk, who became the CEO of the social media website Twitter on October 28th, was mulling over charging a monthly $5 fee for the previously free verification mark as a part of Twitter Blue, Twitter's premium subscription service. Later that day, The Verge[2] reported that Musk considered changing the cost of Twitter Blue from $4.99 to $19.99 per month.

On October 31st, 2022, writer Stephen King posted a tweet[3] in which he wrote that he would stop using Twitter if the change was instituted, adding that Twitter should be paying him rather than vice versa. On November 1st, Musk then replied[4] to the tweet, commenting that "Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers" and suggesting that the price should be $8 (exchange shown below).


Stephen King @Stephen King. Oct 31 $20 a month to keep my blue check? F--- that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I'm gone like Enron. 149.5K 62.1K Elon Musk @elonmusk 520.1K 1:16 AM Nov 1, 2022. Twitter for iPhone โ†‘ Replying to @Stephen King We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8?

Developments

Later on November 1st, 2022, Elon Musk posted a series of tweets[5] describing the planned features for Twitter Blue, including priority in replies, mentions and search, the ability to post longer video and audio clips and a reduced number of ads (shown below).


Elon Musk @elonmusk 22h Twitter's current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark is b-------. Power to the people! Blue for $8/month. 111.1K 73.2K Elon Musk @elonmusk 22h Price adjusted by country proportionate to purchasing power parity 3,887 9,019 @elonmusk. 22h Elon Musk @elonmusk Elon Musk You will also get: - Priority in replies, mentions & search, which is essential to defeat spam/scam - Ability to post long video & audio - Half as many ads 8,173 550.4K 15.8K 112K Elon Musk @elonmusk. 22h And paywall bypass for publishers willing to work with us 3,280 t 7,563 2:03 PM Nov 1, 2022 Twitter for iPhone 126.9K 104K This will also give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators

Online Reactions

In the following days, the proposed fee became a viral subject of discussion on social media as users commented on it and shared memes referencing it. For example, on November 1st, 2022, Twitter[5] user @chillmage made a tweet about it that received over 22,500 retweets and 245,600 likes in one day (shown below).


tc @chillmage elon musk is so good at negotiation he paid $44 billion for something worth ~$10 and then as his first order of business he proposed a $20 monthly subscription and immediately revised that down to $8 because Stephen King told him to f--- off. brilliant stuff 3:10 PM . Nov 1, 2022. Twitter Web App

Also on November 1st, content creator Nopeify tweeted[6] a meme referencing the change that gained over 1,300 retweets and 45,400 likes in one day (shown below, left). On November 2nd, Redditor[7] Mobanite08 shared a Pimples? Zero meme about the proposed change that received over 5,800 upvotes in /r/memes in eight hours (shown below, right).


nopeify @nopeifyaltalt Nahh man W-- they do to Twitter 20:09 <2000 โ“‡ nopeify @nopeifyaltalt 293 Following 283,8K Followers Profile Topics 3:12 PM Nov 1, 2022. Twitter Web App 56 Pimples? ( Blackheads Number of people who think the Blue Checkmark subscription makes sense made with mematic ZERO Zero Zero Zero Kayashsharma

AOC vs. Elon Musk Twitter Conflict

Late on November 1st, 2022, following the announcement of the change, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about the proposed $8-a-month fee on her Twitter[8] (@AOC), which Elon Musk then replied to by saying, "Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8." The reply received over 950,000 likes, 72,900 retweets and 15,600 quote retweets in roughly 24 hours (seen below).


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Nov 1, 2022 @AOC . Follow Lmao at a billionaire earnestly trying to sell people on the idea that "free speech" is actually a $8/mo subscription plan Elon Musk @elonmusk. Follow Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8 4:56 PM Nov 2, 2022 B

The exchange between AOC and Musk rapidly went viral and spread online after being reposted to other platforms, as well as being incorporated into memes. For example, Redditor thetrny made a political compass meme and shared it to the /r/PoliticalCompassMemes[9] subreddit on November 2nd, receiving over 7,500 upvotes and 1,100 comments in 19 hours (seen below).


Economic- Left Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @AOC Authoritarian Lmao at a billionaire earnestly trying to sell people on the idea that "free speech" is actually a $8/mo subscription plan Elon Musk โ†’ @elonmusk Economic- Right Replying to @AOC Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8 Libertarian

On November 3rd, 2022, AOC then tweeted[10] that her Twitter account wasn't functioning properly, insinuating shadow banning and that Elon Musk was potentially involved (seen below).


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @AOC . Follow Yo @elonmusk while I have your attention, why should people pay $8 just for their app to get bricked when they say something you don't like? This is what my app has looked like ever since my tweet upset you yesterday. What's good? Doesn't seem very free speechy to me Be the first to know Notifications about new Tweets, Retweets, recommendations, and more from other verified accounts will show up here. 10:23 AM Nov 3, 2022

Removal Of Legacy Blue Checks

On March 23rd, 2023, Twitter announced that by April 1st, all blue checks that hadn't been paid for with a Twitter Blue subscription would be removed (seen below).[12] Approaching this deadline, many people and organizations who already had checkmarks because they were notable (including William Shatner, the White House and several press outlets) announced that they would not pay for a checkmark.[11] The New York Times was among these organizations, publishing a story announcing its refusal to comply with Musk's policy change.


Twitter Verified @verified On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue here: twitter.com/i/twitter_blue... Organizations can sign up for Verified Organizations here: twitter.com/i/en/verifiedo... 4:25 โ—„ Search my twitter is like a diary except I'm making it everyone's problem Twitter โ†’ @Twitter What's happening?! Following everywhere about.twitter.com Born March 21 Joined February 2007 5 Following 65.6M Followers Tweets Affiliates Replies Media Likes Twitter API @TwitterAPI Following Tweets about changes and service issues. Follow @TwitterDev for more. twitter.com Apply for Verified Organizations 11:20 PM Mar 23, 2023 90.3M Views 2,966 Retweets 17.7K Quotes 9,113 Likes 2:48 Twitter Support @TwitterSupport C Following Here to help. Twitter HQ help.twitter.com Born March 21 Joined December 2008 22 Following 7.1M Followers Tweets Tweets & replies Media 2,421 Bookmarks Likes Twitter Support @TwitterSupport-3d Already verified through the old process? You won't lose

However, April 1st came and went with no removals of legacy accounts. On April 2nd, Twitter user @cb_doge posted a meme (seen below, top) about the New York Times announcing it wouldn't pay the $7 monthly fee for verification. In a reply to this meme, Musk announced he would take away the publication's checkmark in a move that was finalized later that day (seen below, bottom).[13]


The New York Times imgflip.com The New York Times THEY WON'T PAY FOR TWITTER VERIFICATION SEE, NO ONE CARES! @cb_doge

Elon Musk @elonmusk Replying to @cb_doge Oh ok, we'll take it off then 6:27 AM. Apr 2, 2023 595.8K Views 447 Retweets 105 Quotes 5,148 Likes 54 Bookmarks :


Musk went on to tweet disparagingly about the newspaper, comparing it to "propaganda," as well as poop (seen below, top).[14] Meanwhile, former Simpsons writer Bill Oakley briefly impersonated the Times, earning almost 5,000 likes in six hours on April 3rd (seen below, bottom).[15]


Elon Musk @elonmusk. Apr 2 The real tragedy of @NYTimes is that their propaganda isn't even interesting 10.5K 28.2K 212.9K Elon Musk @elonmusk Apr 2 Also, their feed is the Twitter equivalent of diarrhea. It's unreadable. Same applies to all publications. t 7,398 3,331 They would have far more real followers if they only posted their top articles. 17.4M โ†‘ 69.9K โ‚5.3M ...

The New York Times @thatbilloakley. 4h G A six-year Pulitzer Prize-winning NYT investigation has revealed that Seymour Skinner was not actually cooking a "roast" that was "ruined" but in fact was baking a ham. MORE VIDEOS 59 t 665 3,872 โ‚165.9K (โ†’


"Pay the $8"

The purported April 1st, 2023, purge of legacy checkmarks ultimately did not come to pass, but on April 20th, 2023, Twitter then rolled out the change across its platform.[16] The "purge," as many dubbed it, led multiple high-profile users (including celebrities) to forgo being verified on Twitter and continue using the site for free. This perturbed many who purchased Twitter Blue, causing "Pay the $8" to trend on Twitter over the following days.[17]

Among prominent critics of legacy checkmarks who did not sign up for Twitter Blue was Catturd, who argued that celebrities not paying for Twitter Blue were "arrogant elitist snobs worth $200 million dollars who won't pay $8 because they think they're better than everyone else"[18] (shown below, top). User @Sassafrass841[19] then claimed celebrities were whining because they had lost their blue checkmarks (shown below, bottom).


Catturd โ„ขM @catturd2 Hollywood celebrities are showing exactly who they are right now arrogant elitist snobs worth $200 million dollars who won't pay $8 because they think they're better than everyone else. 6:57 AM. Apr 21, 2023 : ...

sassy @Sassafrass841 All these bรฎtch aลŸลŸ celebrities are complaining about the checkmark. It isn't about 8 dollars. They can pay it. They just don't want to. Because in their mind, they're the elite. The backbone. You're not. @elonmusk just leveled the field. Cry all you want. You pay subscriptions like the rest of us. You're only as important as the people that make you to be. You're superiority complex is mind boggling. And you're showing your true colors. I hope it turns people off. Because you were never about the people. Only yourself. Want a little cheese with that w(h)ine?! 12:35 AM. Apr 21, 2023


However, anecdotal evidence purported by users then suggested that the opposite was true. Many celebrities and other former legacy checkmark users voiced no intention of paying $8 to keep their checkmark. In fact, four celebrities who prior to the purge said they had no intention of paying the subscription fee (LeBron James, Stephen King, William Shatner and Ice T) all appeared to have had Twitter Blue purchased for them by Elon Musk.

The outrage of $8 checkmark advocates led many to comment that such critics never understood the checkmark's original purpose (to prevent impersonation) and that they viewed it as a status symbol. They also commented that the checkmark was now worthless in both regards, as the checkmark now signifies that its owner is someone who pays for Twitter.

User @KT_So_It_Goes[20] commented on a thread by David Sacks, remarking that advocates for Twitter Blue really believed everyone really wanted their checkmark and would pay for it. User @rico_rants[21] similarly voiced that the $8 checkmark advocates "genuinely cannot fathom that the verification badges are effectively worthless now, and it pisses them off to no end lol," gaining over 200 retweets and 1,400 likes (shown below, right).


kilgore trout, lawsuit time @KT_So It Goes they really thought everyone was gonna buy the check. they really believed it. they thought all these people were bluffing. there was never a thought that maybe everyone was just telling the truth David Sacks @DavidSacks. 41m Simplest way for corporate journalists to get blue checks en masse would be for their organizations to go gold and affiliate them. Stop pretending this is a personal expense. It's a business expense. Twitter Verified verified 3/30/23 Verified Organizations is a new way for organizations and their affiliates to distinguish themselves on Twitter. Rather than relying on Twitter to be the sole arbiter of truth for which accounts should be verified, vetted organizations that sign up for T.co/... 165 338 2,324 . โ‚462K ... David Sacks @DavidSacks 39m Similarly, it would be a smart idea for Hollywood talent agencies to pay for their celebrities via the Verified Org Affiliates feature. Celebs would get blue checks. The agencies would get the benefit of the association. 20 18 110 โ‚14K Di'Rico L. Baker @rico_rants They genuinely cannot fathom that the verification badges are effectively worthless now, and it pisses them off to no end lol Catturd TM @catturd22h Hollywood celebrities are showing exactly who they are right now - arrogant elitist snobs worth $200 million dollars who won't pay $8 because they think they're better than everyone else. 1,214 2,467 12.2K โ‚474K Jake 2.0 @bigsky Replying to @catturd2 They're really upset that everyday folks like us have access to the same status as them. They need to feel superior. 6:59 AM 21 Apr 239,244 Views

Of note, according to an analysis done by Thomas Brown, the "purge" resulted in a purported 28 former legacy checkmark users choosing to pay for Twitter Blue.[22] Users were supposedly able to work out that, at least on day one, the purge of legacy checkmarks led to Twitter earning just $224 a month in additional revenue.


Travis Brown @travisbrown Update for the day after: just before the purge yesterday, 19,469 of the 407k legacy verified accounts I had identified in early April had Twitter Blue. Today that number for those same accounts is 19,497, for a net increase of 28 accounts. 11:24 AM. Apr 21, 2023 ...

Mashable[23] reported that several of the site's most popular users, including Dril, have begun an informal campaign to block any blue ticks they see on sight, calling it a "#BlockTheBlue" campaign.

Search Interest

External References

[1] Platformer โ€“ Elon's first big move: pay to remain verified on Twitter

[2] The Verge โ€“ Twitter is planning to start charging $20 per month for verification

[3] Twitter โ€“ @StephenKing

[4] Twitter โ€“ @elonmusk

[5] Twitter โ€“ @elonmusk

[6] Twitter โ€“ @nopeifyaltalt

[7] Reddit โ€“ FREEDOM OF SPEECHโ€ฆfor $8 a month

[8] Twitter โ€“ @aoc

[9] Reddit โ€“ r/PoliticalCompassMemes

[10] Twitter โ€“ @AOC

[11] AP News โ€“ Blue Checks

[12] Twitter โ€“ @verified

[13] Twitter โ€“ @cb_doge

[14] Twitter โ€“ @elonmusk

[15] Twitter โ€“ BILL OAKLEY

[16] KITV โ€“ Twitter begins removing blue checks from users who don't pay

[17] Twitter โ€“ Pay the $8 search

[18] Twitter โ€“ Catturd

[19] Twitter โ€“ Sassafrass841

[20] Twitter โ€“ KT_So_It_Goes

[21] Twitter โ€“ rico_rants

[22] Twitter โ€“ travisbrown

[23] Mashable โ€“ Dril and other Twitter power users begin campaign to 'Block the Blue' paid checkmarks

Recent Videos 1 total

Recent Images 71 total


Top Comments

Kommando_Kaijin
Kommando_Kaijin

My main issue with this is that the Blue Checkmark is supposed to be a way to identify real people and separate them from impersonators and bots, but was instead turned into a "Twitter employees like me more!" badge and now is becoming paid preferential treatment. Neither is the optimal purpose and function of the feature and frankly a sign that neither Musk nor the old leadership know how to make Twitter a good website.

+71

+ Add a Comment

Comments (140)


Display Comments

Add a Comment


Hi! You must login or signup first!