X, the platform formerly known as Twitter and currently headed by tech magnate Elon Musk, has seemingly restored blue check marks for a number of high-profile users.
Prior to Musk’s takeover, Twitter’s blue checks signified a form of verification for celebrities, professional athletes, politicians, and other well-known public figures. Once the head of SpaceX and Tesla assumed ownership of the popular social media platform in October of 2022, he stripped all users of the badge, only issuing them to those who paid $8 per month for X Premium.
However, as of Wednesday, multiple X users deemed “influential members of the community” saw the reinstatement of their blue verification checks to their accounts despite not paying the monthly fee. Musk teased the new rollout of badges on March 27, tweeting, “Going forward, all 𝕏 accounts with over 2500 verified subscriber followers will get Premium features for free and accounts with over 5000 will get Premium+ for free.”
Going forward, all 𝕏 accounts with over 2500 verified subscriber followers will get Premium features for free and accounts with over 5000 will get Premium+ for free
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 28, 2024
The return of the blue checks came at the chagrin of several celebrities.
“What happened? I didn’t pay for this. I would NEVER pay for this,” “Community” and “Drake and Josh” actor Yvette Nicole Brown wrote on X. “When did the Blue Check mark start getting passed around again?!”
What happened? I didn’t pay for this. I would NEVER pay for this.
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) April 3, 2024
When did the Blue Check mark start getting passed around again?! 😬 pic.twitter.com/AZdjnIWI3o
Oscar-nominee Jeffrey Wright took to the platform to share his dismay with the return of verification statuses, citing a screenshot of a notification that he had received a complimentary subscription to X premium.
“As an influential member of the community on X, we’ve given you a complimentary subscription to X Premium subject to X Premium Terms by selecting this notice,” the notification read. “X reserves the right to cancel the complimentary subscription in its sole discretion.”
“Translation: Pay $8? Kidding. Help me. But don’t say anything too free speechy about me or my Garbage Tower of Babel s**tsite,” the "American Fiction" star wrote.
Translation:
— Jeffrey Wright 🥜 (@jfreewright) April 4, 2024
Pay $8? Kidding. Help me. But don't say anything too free speechy about me or my Garbage Tower of Babel shitsite. pic.twitter.com/liUxKyASuA
“The Wire” creator David Simon offered a candid and crude take on the situation.
"Yo, Elon, take this blue check and scratch your taint with the long end of it,” he tweeted. “Does anyone out there know how to turn this f**ker off?
Yo, Elon, take this blue check and scratch your taint with the long end of it. Does anyone out there know how to turn this fucker off?
— David Simon (@AoDespair) April 4, 2024
According to a report from The Associated Press, a number of AP staffers also received badges they did not pay for or request.
A similar scenario occurred last April, when Musk ostensibly reassigned — and in some cases, outright gifted — blue checkmarks to accounts with more than a million followers.
"On my soul i didn't pay for twitter blue, u will feel my wrath tesla man," tweeted rapper Lil Nas X.
on my soul i didn’t pay for twitter blue, u will feel my wrath tesla man!
— ☆ (@LilNasX) April 22, 2023
"I did not pay for Twitter blue you f**king pig," RuPaul's Drag Race alumn Trixie Mattel wrote.
Author Neil Gaiman set the record straight with his followers, telling them, "For the curious, I'm not subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven't given anyone my phone number. What a sad, muddled place this has become."
For the curious, I'm not subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven't given anyone my phone number. What a sad, muddled place this has become. pic.twitter.com/Ju125xyoUx
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) April 23, 2023
