Twitter removes ‘legacy’ verified blue ticks

Twitter on Thursday said goodbye to its ‘legacy’ blue ticks following Elon Musk‘s controversial decision to switch up the platform’s verification system.

As of Thursday evening, our correspondent observed that ‘legacy’ verified accounts had their blue tick removed by Twitter.

The development has affected several individuals including journalists as Twitter insists on a $8 monthly payment to subscribe to its ‘Twitter Blue’ if account holders must retain their verification badge, or for those who want to get the blue tick newly.

Numerous checkmarks disappeared from Twitter accounts for the users who were reluctant to pay $8 a month for the traditional blue badge.

‘Legacy’ blue ticks were initially given to verified accounts belonging to people of public interest including celebrities, politicians and journalists.

But following Musk’s takeover, only those subscribed to Twitter Blue can keep a blue tick, while businesses must now pay for a gold tick.

This decision came as part of Musk’s efforts to get rid of the so-called “lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark.”

Earlier in the month, Musk had tweeted that “Final date for removing legacy blue checks is April 20.”

April 1 was the initial date to kickstart the removal of ‘legacy’ ticks, but many remained after this date giving rise to confusion.

Ten days later, Musk then announced that the ‘final date’ for removing these ticks would be April 20.

Nigerian singers, Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid verification badges have also been removed on the microblogging platform.

Checks by our correspondent on Thursday showed that the verification badges on their account have been removed.

Lagos State police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin was also caught in the web as he jokingly said he was not paying any dime.

“Legacy verification gone. I no dey pay shishi,” he tweeted on Thursday.

Criticisms continue to trail Twitter’s decision on social media with some saying the essence of the verification was being defeated, as anyone could impersonate another just by subscribing to the Twitter Blue.

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