The old Twitter verified checkmark system is officially coming to an end next month.
In a tweet, the social network confirmed that it will begin removing the legacy verified checkmarks on April 1st. Going forward, the only way to obtain a checkmark will be to pay for one. Individuals can simply pay $8.75 CAD/month (annual plan) or $10/month (monthly plan), while organizations will have to apply and fork over $1,000 USD (about $1,372 CAD).
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: https://t.co/gzpCcwOpLp
Organizations can sign up for https://t.co/RlN5BbuGA3…
— Twitter Verified (@verified) March 23, 2023
Since acquiring Twitter last year, Elon Musk has accused the old verification system of being “corrupt” without providing any actual evidence. He’s also been looking at Twitter Blue subscriptions as an additional revenue stream for a company that has been consistently losing money.
However, many have criticized the shift to the Twitter Blue system for defeating the whole purpose of verification, which was originally intended for public figures, organizations and the like. This system was also free. Now, though, anyone can simply pay to receive a checkmark.
The company had to temporarily pause Blue subscriptions due to users paying for a checkmark and then changing their name to impersonate others. During all of this, those who were verified under the previous system have also had a message attached to their profile that reads “This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable.”
News of the sunsetting of the legacy checkmark system comes as Twitter Blue has expanded worldwide. Elsewhere in the world of Twitter, the unbelievably immature Musk has also set up the company’s press email account to reply to inquiries with poop emojis.
Update 23/03/2023 8:06pm: There’s a possibility this could be yet another unfunny joke from Elon Musk, with reports indicating the above tweet is an April fools joke.
