Twitter Strips Verified Status from Non-Paying Users

In a recent move, Twitter has begun revoking blue verification badges from accounts that fail to pay a monthly fee to retain the coveted badge. The cost of retaining the badge for individual web users is set at $8 per month, and failure to pay this fee has resulted in many high-profile users losing their blue checkmarks. Among those affected are Oprah Winfrey, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pope Francis, Virat Kohli, Beyonce, Amitabh Bachchan, Lady Gaga, Kylie Jenner, Justin Bieber, Bill Gates, J K Rowling and former US President Donald Trump.

The move is aimed at encouraging more individuals and organizations to pay for Twitter’s subscription packages.

Twitter Removes Verification Badges from Non-Paying Legacy Verified Accounts

Twitter has taken a bold step in its ongoing efforts to promote its subscription-based Twitter Blue service.

Under Twitter’s original system, a blue checkmark indicated that the account was verified by the platform as legitimate. However, the new system requires users to pay a monthly fee to retain the badge. As a result, many blue checks began disappearing from users’ profiles on Thursday, sparking concern among those who had come to rely on the verification badge as a marker of their authenticity.

Nearly a decade and a half ago, Twitter introduced a new feature to its platform: the blue verification badge. The primary aim of the badge was to protect public figures from impersonation and to help users identify legitimate accounts. By verifying the authenticity of an account, Twitter hoped to prevent the spread of misinformation and to create a safer, more reliable platform for users.

On Thursday, Twitter began following through on its promise to strip blue verification badges from accounts that fail to pay a monthly fee. While the move has been expected for some time, it marks a significant change to the platform’s original blue-check system, which boasted over 300,000 verified users – including journalists, athletes, and public figures.

Read Also: Twitter Removes SMS 2FA For Non-Blue Users

So, What Now?

To maintain the coveted blue checkmark, users must now pay a monthly fee that ranges from $8 for individual web users. Organizations that want verification badges must pay a significantly higher monthly price of $1,000 plus an extra $50 for each affiliate or employee/staff account.

Twitter’s Verification Purge: Pay to Stay Verified

Twitter’s recent decision to charge for its verification system has sparked debate and controversy across the platform. The blue checkmark has long been a coveted status symbol and a sign of authority on the platform, but now users must pay a monthly fee to maintain their verification status.

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