Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Twitter's blue tick restored to high profile accounts

Twitter's blue tick restored to high profile accounts

Some Twitter accounts with more than one million followers have had their blue tick badges re-instated by Twitter without paying to subscribe.
Beyoncé, Harry Kane, Richard Osman and Victoria Beckham are among those to have their blue tick back.

The BBC News Twitter account also has its gold badge again, but has not paid for it.

Before the platform was bought by Elon Musk, the blue tick was a badge of verification given for free by Twitter.

It was originally used as a tool of authentication, designed to help stop fake accounts and the spread of misinformation.

Now it is a symbol that an account has subscribed to a premium service called Twitter Blue - and there is a verification process attached with making the payment. There are various prices depending on where the subscription is made but it is around $8 per month.

Those with a blue tick from the original verification process, who decided not to pay the subscription fee, began losing their ticks on 20 April.

The broadcaster James O'Brien, who has 1.1m followers, is one of those who has now got his blue tick back after losing it. He confirmed that he had not paid for his account.

He also noted that some accounts with fewer than 1m followers also appeared to have had their blue ticks restored, "anointed entirely at Elon Musk's discretion".

Eliot Higgins, who founded the investigations organisation Bellingcat, confirmed to me on Friday that his blue tick, and Bellingcat's verification, had been given to him for free.

Mr Musk has claimed that he paid for the subscriptions himself on behalf of the author Stephen King, the actor William Shatner and the basketball player Lebron James who had all criticised the scheme.

At the time of writing, some celebrities like actor Ryan Reynolds who also owns Wrexham football club, still has no blue tick despite having over 21m followers.

It was reported that the removal of the legacy blue ticks had to be done manually so it is possible that this is also a manual process which will continue over the coming days.

Twitter Blue has had a troubled launch. It was initially delayed after fake accounts sprung up pretending to be official organisations, and in recent weeks both subscribers and formerly verified accounts have looked the same.

Subscribers' tweets have higher visibility, individual posts can be longer, and they will see fewer ads.

Elon Musk has previously said that the firm's finances were in dire straits when he took over and that Twitter was operating at a loss of $4m per day.

Twitter has not revealed how many people have chosen to subscribe so far but the app firm Sensor Tower estimated to TechCrunch that the platform had around 386,000 subscribers in March 2023.

This does not include subscriptions made on Twitter's website rather than within its app but is still a small fraction of its roughly 300 million user-base.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
How Spain Transformed from High Unemployment to Eurozone Growth Leader
EU Promises Swift Response if New US Tariffs Are Introduced
The European Union Shifts Focus to AI Innovation Amid Global Competition (or at least this is what they claim)
Merz and Scholz Engage in Confrontation Over Migration and Economic Strategies in Pre-Election Debate
Tech Giants Boost Investment in AI Infrastructure Despite Competition
Europe Faces Growing Security Concerns and Trump's New Demands on Ukraine
Justin Bieber Sparks Concern as New Footage Raises Health Fears
European Right-Wing Leaders Celebrate Trump’s Impact on Global Politics
Germany Confronts Political Turmoil Before Sudden Election
Macron's AI Vision Encounters Obstacles in the Global Technology Race.
Reports of Pro-Russian Bots Attempting to Influence German Election Surface
'BACK TO PLASTIC!': Trump to End Bans on Plastic Straws
TikTok Sued Over Alleged Child Deaths Caused by 'Blackout Challenge'
U.S. Ally Claims Trump Has Distinct Credibility to Resolve Ukraine-Russia Dispute
At least ten fatalities confirmed in shooting at a Swedish school, authorities report.
Trump Administration Preparing Executive Order to Abolish the Department of Education
Spain Endorses Initiative to Lower Workweek to 37.5 Hours
Trump Vows to Impose Tariffs on EU Products, Describes Bloc as a ‘Trade Atrocity’
Zelenskyy Proposes Nuclear Arsenal if NATO Membership Lingers
Serbia and Albania Set to Co-Host the 2027 UEFA Under-21 European Championship.
Zelenskyy Urges for 'Robust Security Assurances' from Russia to Conclude the War in Ukraine
Austrian Coalition Talks Encounter Setbacks Amid Far-Right Push for Power
Von der Leyen Indicates 'Unprecedented' Action to Enhance EU Defense Expenditure.
European Union Proposes Reforms to 1951 Refugee Convention
China's Humanoid Robots Poised to Transform Everyday Life and Spiritual Functions
Putin Resurrects Soviet-Era Intervision Song Contest with Fresh Allies
Ten Killed in Mass Shooting at Örebro Adult Education Center
China Retaliates with Tariffs and Investigations Following New U.S. Duties
Alice Weidel, the leader of the AfD, bolsters her international profile by meeting with Viktor Orban.
EU Leaders Convene to Address Defense Strategy in Light of Increasing U.S. Tensions
EU Leaders Convene Key Summit on Defense in Response to Increasing Tensions
Trump Directs Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund, Considers TikTok Purchase
Britain Considers U.S. Gas Imports in Light of Potential Trump Tariffs
French Prime Minister Bayrou Confronts Several No-Confidence Votes Regarding the 2025 Budget
Trump Pursues Ukraine's Rare Earth Minerals in Exchange for U.S. Military Assistance
Trump Wins Again as Canada Agrees to Strengthen Border Security
Trump Seeks Rare Minerals from Ukraine in Exchange for U.S. Support
EU leaders concur on increasing defense expenditure in response to escalating security threats.
Nearly 96% of New Cars Registered in Norway in January Were Electric
Bart De Wever Appointed Belgium's New Prime Minister
Apple Abandons AR Glasses Project Amid Struggles with Technology and Market Demand
U.S. Clinical Trial Investigates Medication to Prolong Dogs' Lifespan
Berlin Protests Against Immigration Crackdown
Apple Surpasses Revenue and Earnings Expectations, But iPhone Sales Disappoint
Bill Gates Reflects on Past Mistakes and Acknowledges Yuval Noah Harari's Insight
TikTok Shapes the Future of Mobile Gaming with Viral Trends
Swedish Prime Minister Admits Loss of Control Over Surge in Violence and Explosions
Patriotism Misrepresented: Merz’s Migration Bill Defeat Exposes Ideological War Fueling Europe’s Instability
Trump Administration Advocates Ukrainian Elections to Promote the Democratic Process Needed to Oppose the War Zelenskiy Supports and Profits From
The Swift Impact: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's Relationship Boosts Football's Global Appeal
×