Twitter has announced that it will be phasing out its legacy Twitter verified checkmarks program and removing previously verified checkmarks from users’ profiles on April 1st. It’s no secret that the company has been planning to do so for some time. In fact, shortly after the launch of Twitter Blue in November 2022, company CEO Elon Musk made it clear that Twitter would be removing “corrupt” legacy Blue verification checkmarks in the near future.
Now, it seems that the time has come for legacy verified users to lose their coveted blue ticks. However, given Musk’s penchant for humor, some are wondering if this announcement is just a clever April Fools’ Day joke.
Below, you may see Twitter Verified‘s tweet about the Twitter verified checkmarks removal.
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
Twitter blue is set to replace Twitter verified checkmarks
The announcement has raised a number of questions, particularly around how Twitter plans to go about removing verified checkmarks from accounts. Will it be a mass removal or a gradual phase-out? It’s not clear at this time. Engadget tried to reach out to Twitter for clarification but they were met with a cheeky response in the form of a poop emoji. So, for the time being, we’ll just have to wait and see if the removal of legacy Twitter verified checkmarks is just a joke or a reality.
Twitter’s announcement comes at a time when Blue subscriptions have become available to users worldwide. Previously only accessible in select regions, this expansion brings the service within reach of most people.
In addition to the coveted blue checkmark, subscribers will be able to enjoy a number of other perks, such as longer tweet lengths, the ability to edit posts, and improved reply rankings. This expansion is a necessary step for Twitter if it hopes to reach Musk’s ambitious goal of deriving 50% of its revenue from subscriptions.
The price point for Twitter Blue is set at $8 per month, or $11 if paid through the iOS app. This also has raised the question of why Twitter Blue pricing is higher for iOS users. Whether enough users around the world will be willing to pay for these perks remains to be seen.
Only time will tell if Twitter’s gamble on subscription-based revenue will pay off in the long run.
