New blue badges, golden checkmarks removed, labels that disappear… The redesign of the account authentication system on Twitter, supposed to give context to users, continues to cause controversy and some confusion.
Twitter Blue, the new paid formula set up by Elon Musk, should make it possible “to put everyone on an equal footing, to fight against false profiles and also to diversify the company’s sources of income”, indicates 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 personalities have lost their blue ticks
The platform led by Elon Musk therefore began by removing the old blue ticks from profiles this Thursday who had obtained them in the past in the name of their notoriety, but who did not subscribe to the new Twitter Blue subscription. From Donald Trump to Beyoncé, many personalities therefore lost their distinctive mark on Thursday, as did hundreds of thousands of lesser-known accounts (journalists, academics, associations, etc.).
The billionaire also confirmed that he had paid, “of [sa] pocket,” Twitter Blue subscriptions for a handful of celebrities who hadn’t asked for anything. Among the beneficiaries are notably the basketball player Lebron James, but also the 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 check mark, reserved for government accounts or certain organizations.
Some media deprived of golden badges
The California 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 the consultant Matt Navara. “This change is in line with Twitter’s verification strategy: to improve the quality of content and your experience”, assures the platform.
Twitter has also removed the gold badge indicating an organization’s official account from the profiles of all major English-language media, and some French media. THE New York Times (55 million subscribers) or Fox News (24 million subscribers) have thus lost all certification, when the accounts of the World, of NHK, the Japanese public radio-television, or of the Spiegel German have, for example, 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.
Removing controversial “state-affiliated media” labels
Twitter also removed this Friday the controversial labels “media affiliated with the state” and “media financed by government funds” 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”, could one read on the help center of Twitter. 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.