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What do Beyoncé and Cristiano Ronaldo have in common? As of today, they are no longer verified on Twitter.
The social media giant began removing the once-coveted blue tick verification from thousands of accounts on Thursday.
The move comes as owner Elon Musk attempts to overhaul the social media company to turn a profit.
Users who wish to retain the check beside their name must pay $84 a year (£67) to subscribe to Twitter Blue.
As some lost their ticks, others kept them.
Despite saying he would not pay to be verified, LeBron James still has a blue tick which is a “complimentary subscription” gifted by Elon Musk.
The billionaire confirmed Stephen King and William Shatner also got the same deal.
Elon Musk reveals he is ‘personally paying’ the Twitter Blue subscriptions of some celebrities to keep their checkmark, such as Lebron James and Stephen King. pic.twitter.com/ulLvwOyLIn
— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 20, 2023
As the change happened, many formerly verified took to Twitter to joke about it, or mourn the loss.
US Olympian Lolo Jones noted she’s still verified where it counts: her dating profile.
Other users noted the irony that actor Jason Sudeikis had lost his verification, while Ted Lasso, the fictional character he portrays, had not.
US rapper Ice T joked that the uproar over the checks was unnecessary.
“The fact that we’re even discussing Blue check marks is a Sad moment in society,” he posted.
The company first introduced the verification feature in 2009, after a former professional baseball player sued the social media giant over imposter accounts.
The blue check became a status symbol and a sign of authority. But in the new Twitter-verse, Mr Musk wants users to pay to be verified.
The decision to monetise verification could usher in a massive cultural and power shift on the platform.
