Twitter owner Elon Musk has finally removed almost all 'legacy verified' accounts from the social media platform, but despite LeBron James ' previous comments the blue tick has remained in fact for the four-time NBA champion
The famous 'blue tick' is now only displayed on accounts that have subscribed to Musk's Twitter Blue service, meaning that thousands of accounts no longer have their verification status. Famous athletes such as Patrick Mahomes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Aaron Rodgers are no longer verified, causing mayhem on the platform.
When Musk warned users that they'd lose their blue tick if they remained unsubscribed, James made a vow to his fans that he wouldn't pay for the service. But now that the changes have been made James remains verified, suggesting that he may have dipped into his pockets after all.
"On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks," the official Twitter Verified account tweeted on March 23. And amid initial backlash from high-profile accounts, Musk tweeted: "It’s more about treating everyone equally. There shouldn’t be a different standard for celebrities in my opinion."
However, the changes didn't take place until April 20, and it's now visible who has subscribed to the service and who hasn't. But before the initial warning, James tweeted: "Welp guess my blue tick will be gone soon cause if you know me I ain’t paying the 5."
But it appears as though he has, leading thousands of fans to go back to his original tweet and question his motive. Previously accounts were verified based on whether they were notable, but now Twitter is only awarding verification for paying customers.
Twitter Blue is being charged at £7.99 a month in the UK, with premium features offered to those who subscribe. Those who wish to use the app for free will be able to, but their use will be limited unless they pay.
The argument has continued online due to the initial reasoning for verifying accounts in the first place was to ensure that users knew which accounts were genuine. It stopped impersonation, which could now occur with so many big names without the tick, and it was also valuable for verifying trusted news sources.
But the validity of the blue tick has been watered down, if not completely destroyed due to the access being opened up. Musk clearly isn't concerned though, as he tweeted back in March: "If you don’t like reality, just ignore it. Works (almost) every time."
