Blue Checks: Twitter announces removal of old blue checks

Twitter announces that the previously free blue ticks for accounts verified under the old system will be removed. As of April 1, Twitter will begin removing the old “Blue Checks,” the company announced on Thursday evening. The blue tick is then only available for paying customers who take out a “Twitter Blue” subscription. New owner Elon Musk had previously hinted at such a move, but given his documented penchant for farce, an early April Fool’s joke can’t be entirely ruled out. The company cannot be reached for questions.

Before Musk took over, Twitter had marked the accounts of selected public figures – such as politicians and celebrities, but also journalists – as well as some Twitter celebrities with the blue tick if they could prove their identity to the company. This should also serve to prevent the spread of false information under false identities.

“Twitter Blue” now available worldwide

The blue tick is now only available as a subscription, which has also been available worldwide since Thursday. The subscription for individuals is called Twitter Blue and costs eight euros a month or 84 euros a year. Businesses can sign up for a golden yellow icon, while governments and other organizations are allotted a gray icon. The basic price for companies and organizations in Germany should be 950 euros per month, plus 50 euros for each connected account.

In Germany, the paid subscription Twitter Blue was first introduced in February. As a result, Twitter promised verification for individuals, less advertising and that the algorithm would prioritize short messages from subscribers. In return, the company gets a new source of income.

How long it will take until all old ticks are removed is open. The US journalist and social media expert Casey Newton points out that Twitter’s systems have no mechanism for switching off the old blue checks at once, but that this has to be done manually for each account. Twitter cannot be reached for questions about this. It can be assumed that the media department was dissolved in the course of the extensive layoffs. Joker Musk has inquiries to the old email address of the press team answered automatically: with a 💩.

(vbr)