Elon Musk-ran Twitter removes my Blue Verified checkmark this morning!
As a tech journalist (ugh) my Twitter account was granted the “verified” status on 21 October 2021:
"This account is verified because it's notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category."
The Twitter Blue Checkmark, also known as the verified badge, is a symbol displayed on a Twitter profile to indicate that the account has been verified by Twitter as authentic and belonging to a public figure, celebrity, or brand. The badge appears next to the account name on the user’s profile page, in search results, and in tweets.
The blue checkmark is meant to help users distinguish between real accounts and fake or impersonation accounts. It is also intended to provide some level of credibility and legitimacy to verified accounts, as they have been vetted by Twitter and are more likely to be trustworthy sources of information.
To get the blue checkmark, Twitter requires users to submit a verification request, and the company will review the account and confirm that it meets certain criteria, such as being active, complete, and public, and belonging to the claimed identity. However, not all accounts are eligible for verification, and Twitter reserves the right to revoke the badge if the account violates its policies or loses its status as a public figure or brand.
Months ago, Twitter introduced the Twitter Blue subscription — a premium service that provides users with a variety of additional features and tools not available to regular users. Some of the features offered with the subscription include Undo Tweet, Bookmark Folders, Reader Mode, Custom App Icons, and even Dedicated Customer Support. The cost of subscribing to Twitter Blue as of this posting is PHP4,600 per year (discounted rate from PHP5,280 annually).
Last 12 April 2023, Elon Musk tweeted that the final date for removing legacy Blue checkmarks is 20 April 2023 (+1 day here in the Philippines). And that day has arrived for my Twitter account.
So, will I be subscribing to Twitter Blue anytime soon? Probably not.
Tips on How to Check for Legitimate News on Twitter
Now that Twitter has made the Blue Verified Badge part of its business model, it will be more challenging for ordinary netizens to spot legitimate and fake news on the platform. Let me share some tips on how not to be fooled by everything that we read on Twitter:
- Check the source.
Look for the source of the information and see if it’s from a credible and reliable source. Verify if the source is legitimate and reputable. - Check the account.
Check the account that posted the information. Is it a reputable account with a history of credible tweets? - Check the content.
Read the content of the tweet thoroughly and check if it’s consistent with other reputable news sources. If the tweet contains sensational claims or extreme language, it may be a red flag that it’s fake news. - Check for corroboration.
Look for other sources that can corroborate the information in the tweet. If it can’t be verified by multiple sources, it may not be true. - Fact-checking.
Use fact-checking tools and websites to verify the accuracy of the information in the tweet. Some reputable fact-checking websites include Snopes, PolitiFact, and FactCheck.org. - Avoid sharing without verifying.
Don’t share a tweet without verifying the accuracy of the information first. Sharing false information only helps to spread fake news.
It is very important to be cautious when reading information on Twitter, especially if it’s a topic that is sensitive or has a significant impact. Always verify the information from multiple sources before believing and sharing it.