Elon Musk's Twitter Purge: A Tale of Confusion and Whimsy
In a move that has left many users bewildered, Twitter's billionaire owner Elon Musk has seemingly abandoned his promise to purge "legacy" blue check marks from the platform. Instead, he has selectively targeted a high-profile account - the New York Times main account - which had previously opted out of paying for verification.
The decision comes as part of a broader effort by Musk to overhaul Twitter's verification system, which was initially designed to protect high-profile users from impersonation. However, the new system, which requires users to pay $8 per month for Twitter Blue subscription, has been plagued by controversy and confusion.
Under the new system, most legacy blue check holders found that their verification marks had not disappeared, but rather had been appended with a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This language raises questions about the criteria used to determine which accounts are truly notable and deserving of the coveted blue check mark.
The New York Times main account lost its blue check over the weekend, but not its other accounts. The reason for this selective action is unclear, although it's believed to be related to a recent meme posted by an actor that mocked the Times' decision not to pay for verification. Musk then took to Twitter to lash out at the outlet, claiming their coverage is boring and "propaganda."
The move has sparked concerns about the potential for confusion and exploitation on the platform. Experts have warned that reserving verification for paid users may not necessarily reduce the number of bots on the site, a major issue Musk has raised in the past.
Musk's actions have also highlighted his tendency to make decisions based on whims rather than careful policy. Despite presenting changes to Twitter's verification system as a way of "treating everyone equally," he has seemingly chosen to exempt some high-profile accounts from the new rules.
The episode is just the latest example of Twitter's ongoing struggles with its verification system and Musk's leadership style. As the platform continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: users are left to navigate a complex and often confusing landscape, where the boundaries between fact and fiction are increasingly blurred.
In a move that has left many users bewildered, Twitter's billionaire owner Elon Musk has seemingly abandoned his promise to purge "legacy" blue check marks from the platform. Instead, he has selectively targeted a high-profile account - the New York Times main account - which had previously opted out of paying for verification.
The decision comes as part of a broader effort by Musk to overhaul Twitter's verification system, which was initially designed to protect high-profile users from impersonation. However, the new system, which requires users to pay $8 per month for Twitter Blue subscription, has been plagued by controversy and confusion.
Under the new system, most legacy blue check holders found that their verification marks had not disappeared, but rather had been appended with a new label reading: "This account is verified because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account." This language raises questions about the criteria used to determine which accounts are truly notable and deserving of the coveted blue check mark.
The New York Times main account lost its blue check over the weekend, but not its other accounts. The reason for this selective action is unclear, although it's believed to be related to a recent meme posted by an actor that mocked the Times' decision not to pay for verification. Musk then took to Twitter to lash out at the outlet, claiming their coverage is boring and "propaganda."
The move has sparked concerns about the potential for confusion and exploitation on the platform. Experts have warned that reserving verification for paid users may not necessarily reduce the number of bots on the site, a major issue Musk has raised in the past.
Musk's actions have also highlighted his tendency to make decisions based on whims rather than careful policy. Despite presenting changes to Twitter's verification system as a way of "treating everyone equally," he has seemingly chosen to exempt some high-profile accounts from the new rules.
The episode is just the latest example of Twitter's ongoing struggles with its verification system and Musk's leadership style. As the platform continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: users are left to navigate a complex and often confusing landscape, where the boundaries between fact and fiction are increasingly blurred.
i mean idk how to feel about this new verification system or whatever its called but i think its kinda lame that they're just gonna make you pay for it like $8 a month ugh thats so extra 
and now the NYT main account lost their blue check lol what a joke 
im not saying i dont think they should have paid for it or whatever but come on elon whats going on with ur decisions lately? 
are u just trolling us at this point 
so now the new york times has lost their blue check mark and we're all left wondering why 
it's like, okay so you wanna overhaul the verification system fine but can't you at least be consistent? 
i wish he'd take a step back and think about how his decisions affect the users instead of just doing whatever whimsy strikes him 
.
it's like musk is tryin' 2 redefine what makes somethin legit, but its all kinda messy 
the new system is supposed 2 keep bots out, but if ppl r payin 4 verification, doesnt that jus catter 2 the ones willin 2 pay? 
and wut's wit this selectiv purgin? 
it's all just a big ol' mystery 
what's with the whole new verification system tho? it sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me 
. I'm all for trying to reduce bots on Twitter, but if we're gonna do it, let's at least try to make it fair for everyone 
. The fact-checking community needs a solid reason to trust the blue check mark again 
. I think it's weird that Elon Musk decided to target the NY Times account specifically, especially since they're not paying for verification anymore. It just feels like a petty move 
. But, oh man, his methods are just so...unpredictable 
. Until then, I'll just stick to my favorite accounts and hope for the best 
meanwhile @nytimes main account is still rocking that blue check 
anyone else think he's just trolling at this point? 
. And now that the New York Times account lost its blue check, people are starting to question who actually gets a "real" verification... it's all very confusing 
. And honestly, I'm a bit surprised he didn't just leave the NYT account alone, considering they're basically the gold standard of journalism 
. It's like, where did all these rules go? And can we get some clarity on what's gonna happen next? 
but honestly who can tell what that even means anymore? 