We have seen Elon Musk treat Twitter like his very own tech toy. Our crazy tech giant has shown some kindness after the infamous blue check mark was removed from the accounts of public figures as it grants blue checks to deceased celebrities. While revamping the whole system has caused major havoc among Twitter users, this comes as well-deserved good news.
Just days after stripping all the previously verified accounts, Twitter started granting some of the previously verified accounts with a free verification badge. Among those who are granted these badges are deceased celebrities like Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, Creator of Marvel brand of superheroes Stan Lee, Musician and Rapper Juice WRLD, and more.
While this move may have been something done with well intentions it lacks well execution. When you click on the blue check you are greeted with a message saying, “This account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number.” which seems like something that is unlikely to be done by a deceased individual.
While the case could be different for the accounts of celebrities which are managed by others and still post content. Many accounts which haven’t had any recent tweets since the demise of the celeb have also received the blue checkmark.
The biggest concern that these paid checkmarks raise are fake verified accounts. Now by paying just $8 anyone could get a blue check allowing fake accounts to take advantage and scam other users.
Twitter’s decision to grant blue checks to deceased celebrities may have been a well-intentioned move to honor their legacies, but it has raised concerns about the authenticity of verified accounts. The lack of proper execution in this process has led to confusion among users, and the potential for fake accounts to take advantage of paid verification is worrisome. As social media platforms continue to evolve and adapt, it is important for them to prioritize transparency and accuracy in their verification processes to maintain the trust and safety of their users.
