In a ‘Musk-turn’, Twitter gives free blue ticks to any account with one million followers

Days after the Blue Checks disappeared from various accounts, the esteemed badge for verification suddenly appeared on any and every account that has more than a million followers on Sunday morning. Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the social media platform has seen some major and shocking developments, but this update has left netizens wondering if Twittersphere has actually gone bonkers.

The appearance of Blue Checks on accounts with more than a million followers has resulted in more meme accounts getting the blue tick compared to the account of newsmakers. The Blue Checks appeared on the accounts regardless of whether they paid for the Twitter Blue subscription which charges $8 per month.

The users have been left baffled by the update, which to some is appearing as a glitch, while those who were earlier enjoying the exclusive verified status have now become part of a bizarre club.

This sudden appearance of Blue Checks returned the verified status to the accounts of celebrities, even those who are dead like – Anthony Bourdain, Chadwick Boseman, and Kobe Bryant. Consent as a necessary aspect has certainly lost its place on the social media platform as the dead celebrities won’t be ever able to provide their consent for the blue verification.

Despite no consent from the deceased, the accounts have still been given the honoured status of paid blue checks.

Meme accounts like @TheTweetofGod along with numerous cat accounts have now become the verified account as per the new development which grants free Blue Checks to accounts with a million followers.

With meme accounts getting the verified badge, it is difficult to predict where Twitter is headed to.

WATCH | Many high-profile users lose verification symbol on Twitter

This peculiar update has left netizens wondering if this is a glitch as Musk tries to revamp the verification process of the social media platform or if it’s another U-turn by the billionaire.

Any inquiry made into this update is of no use as Twitter has been operating currently without a press team and responds to any questions with nothing but a single poop emoji.

Recently, a new policy was implemented by Twitter which took away the blue verification badges from users who did not subscribe to the premium service of Twitter Blue. However, some users like LeBron James and Stephen King appeared to have been exempted from this rule when it was implemented.

Musk had stated that the blue checkmarks which were earlier given were “corrupt and nonsensical” and had called the verification system as a “lords & peasants system”.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.