• The platform led by Elon Musk began by removing this Thursday the old blue checkmarks from profiles that had obtained them in the past in the name of their notoriety, but who have not subscribed to the new Twitter Blue subscription.
  • Twitter also removed the golden button indicating an organization's official account for profiles of all major English-language media outlets, and some French media.
  • The controversial labels "state-affiliated media" and "government-funded media" were also removed from mainstream media pages on Friday.

New blue badges, gold checkmarks removed, labels disappearing... The overhaul of the authentication system for accounts on Twitter, which is supposed to give context to users, continues to cause controversy and confusion.

Twitter Blue, the new paid formula implemented by Elon Musk, should make it possible "to put everyone on an equal footing, to fight against fake profiles and also to diversify the company's sources of revenue," says the platform. But according to the latest data, less than 5% of the 407,000 accounts that had the old free blue badge subscribed.

Many celebrities have lost their blue ticks

The platform led by Elon Musk began by removing this Thursday the old blue checkmarks from profiles that had obtained them in the past in the name of their notoriety, but who have not subscribed to the new Twitter Blue subscription. From Donald Trump to Beyoncé, many personalities lost their distinctive mark on Thursday, as did hundreds of thousands of lesser-known accounts (journalists, academics, associations...).

The billionaire also confirmed that he had paid, "out of [his] pocket", Twitter Blue subscriptions for a handful of celebrities who had not asked for anything. Among the beneficiaries are basketball player Lebron James, but also writer Stephen King, who had been one of the most noticed critics of the new Twitter Blue system.

Some elected officials or religious figures, such as Republican Kevin McCarthy or the Pope, have instead received a gray tick, reserved for the accounts of the government or certain organizations.

Some media without gold badges

The California-based group also requires advertisers to subscribe to Twitter Blue or pay at least $1,000 a month to be a "verified organization" (gray or gold badge), according to a message seen by Bloomberg and published by consultant Matt Navara. "This change is in line with Twitter's verification strategy: improve the quality of content and your experience," the platform said.

Twitter also removed the golden button indicating an organization's official account for profiles of all major English-language media outlets, and some French media. The New York Times (55 million subscribers) or Fox News (24 million subscribers) have lost all certification, while the accounts of Le Monde, NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster, or the German Der Spiegel, for example, have all kept their golden badges. The company has not provided any explanation for these choices, which seem, as often in Elon Musk's decisions, arbitrary.

Removal of controversial "state-affiliated media" labels

Twitter also removed on Friday the controversial labels "state-affiliated media" and "government-funded media" from the pages of major media such as the American NPR or the Canadian CBC, but also the official Chinese agency Xinhua (New China).

"State-affiliated media" are those whose editorial content is "controlled by that state through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressure, and/or control over production and distribution," Twitter's help center read. Those that are "state-funded and have editorial independence, such as the BBC in the UK or NPR in the US" are not included, the platform said.

  • Elon Musk
  • Twitter
  • Platform
  • Accounts
  • Social Media
  • By the Web
  • Internet users