Gone are the days when blue check marks could not be bought. Since then, many users believe that the verification badge has been cheapened and refuse to display it, even if they paid for the Premium subscription. This time around, they won't have a choice but to see it on their profile.
(Photo : Harun Ozalp/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Blue Check Marks for Everyone to See
Although a lot of users wear the verification badge proudly, others would rather stay lowkey and keep their verification to themselves. Well, X, formerly known as Twitter, will not provide the choice in the matter anymore as it says so in a recent notification.
In a post from an X user who shared a screenshot of the notification, it says that the "hide your checkmark feature of X Premium is going away soon." Of course, others want to show their blue tick proudly, even questioning why others wanted to hide it in the first place.
BREAKING: #X seems to be removing the ability to hide the verification checkmark! pic.twitter.com/1Kn2OU4puj
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) April 11, 2024
As mentioned in CNN, popular users on the platform saw the badge as "punishment." Model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen tried to get rid of her blue check mark when it showed up on her account. "It attached itself to me," she posted.
The backlash from high-profile users only shows how badly the implementation of verification was badly handled. What was once given to influential people on X is now something that can be bought for $8 every month.
It's also why people were glad to hear the option to hide the badge, which was a feature that was introduced back in early August 2023. Users previously had the choice to remove them by heading to their profile icon, selecting Blue, and then Preferences.
Read Also: X Has Lost 72% of Its Value Since Elon Musk's Acquisition, Reports Say
Legacy Blue Checks Have Returned
Just a week ago, Elon Musk restored the legacy blue ticks that defined influential users on X. They won't have to pay for the Premium subscription to receive the badge, and users are clarifying on the platform that they, in fact, did not pay for it.
"Community" actress Yvette Nicole Brown, for instance, posted on X: "What happened? I didn't pay for this. I would NEVER pay for this... When did the Blue Check mark start getting passed around again?!" as shown in Variety.
For those who received the legacy verification, a notification appears that states: "As an influential member of the community on X, we've given you a complimentary subscription to X Premium subject to X PRemium Terms by selecting this notice."
It also says that the company reserves the right to cancel the complimentary subscription at its sole discretion. The "influential" user will have to reach certain metrics to receive the verification badge without paying the fee every month.
The user will need to have more than 2,500 "verified" followers, which means that the followers in question need to be Premium users. Elon Musk did place blue checkmarks on certain accounts even before the requirement was announced.
As certain users continue to hate the blue badge, seeing it as a branding of shame, the company could create a different-colored check for legacy accounts, as well as the ones who paid for the verification.
