Twitter CEO Elon Musk has announced that the final date for the removal of its blue checkmarks, which have been viewed as prizes for users to earn, is April 20. Musk, who purchased the social media platform last year, tweeted the announcement, which was met with outrage and dissatisfaction from users who accused the CEO of trying to make more money. Twitter announced last month that it would begin rolling back the blue checkmarks from April 1, the same day that the Twitter Blue subscription was made available for $7 globally. Before Musk’s takeover of the platform, the checkmarks were used to verify the accounts of individuals and groups as active and authentic accounts of interest, and were free of charge. Twitter’s decision to roll back the coveted checkmarks has been met with criticism from users, who have accused the company of trying to make more money. Twitter announced in mid-December that it would be introducing a Twitter Blue subscription model that would allow subscribers to access subscriber-only features, such as Edit Tweet, 1080p video uploads, and reader mode. Twitter users were also informed that they could purchase a blue check through the subscription model for $8 per month, with iOS and Android signups costing $11 per month due to app store costs. The company also announced that other checkmark colors and badges would be available for purchase to denote whether an account is a business or government. Musk’s recent announcement confirms that verified Twitter users are no longer exempt from paying for verification or maintaining their verifications on the platform. The removal of all legacy blue checks was scheduled to begin on April 1, 2023, according to Twitter’s ‘Verified Twitter’ handle. However, the date was not enforced, and Musk recently announced a new deadline of April 20, 2023. The new policy requires Twitter users to subscribe to Twitter Blue to maintain their verified accounts. While some Twitter users may be unhappy with the new policy, it presents an opportunity for Twitter to expand its revenue streams while offering its users a more valuable experience.
