Twitter Removing Celebrities’ Blue Checkmarks
The infamous Twitter blue check mark, once a status symbol of internet clout, has become a social embarrassment for celebrities. Twitter is stripping legacy verification checks from high-profile accounts, including former presidents and other public figures.
The company wants to protect verified accounts from impersonators, who could use the symbol to spread misinformation. But some experts say that could be a disaster.
Some of the most high-profile accounts left unverified are celebrities and news reporters. The well-known Twitter accounts have been targeted by fake accounts attempting to impersonate them. When Musk took over Twitter last fall, he promised to fix this problem—firstly, allowing people to subscribe to Twitter Blue to get blue check marks if they meet specific requirements.
But the new system has been a mess, causing chaos on the platform. Several celebrities and journalists, including Monica Lewinsky, tweeted against the change on Monday.
Among the accounts stripped of their verification badges were several dead celebrities, including Michael Jackson and Chadwick Boseman. The version of Sir Patrick Stewart, a Star Trek actor who was once Captain Picard, is also back with the blue tick, though it’s unclear if they paid to get theirs or were given it free of charge.
Popular Twitter user Dril noted that restoring the blue checkmarks to dead celebrities gives them unwarranted prestige and echoed the sentiment of the many users upset by the decision. He pointed to a screenshot of the Lanham Act, which lays out the legal framework for false endorsement in the US.
