Twitter has removed all of its legacy blue checkmarks from its platform and celebrities don’t know how to handle it. Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, he’s been warning everyone that the legacy blue checkmarks (previous blue checks that were used to verify journalists, celebrities and politicians who had proved their identity to Twitter) were being removed. The day came and went and celebrities and regular people like us were just as confused. Now, you will be able to tell who is paying the new $8 monthly fee to keep their accounts verified and who isn’t. When you click on the blue checkmark now, you’ll see this message: “This account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number.”
You will start to notice that many celebrity accounts no longer have the verified blue checkmarks. The only way they will get them back is if they pay the fee. There are some exceptions. Elon Musk announced yesterday there are some accounts he is personally paying for. Those include Lebron James, Stephen King and William Shatner. Many believe Elon is paying for their blue checks to troll them because each one said they would never pay the $8 for a blue check. Stephen King once tweeted “My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t. My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.” Barack Obama with his over 132 million Twitter followers continues to keep his blue check with the explanation “because it’s an affiliate of @TheObamaOffice on Twitter.”
While as of this morning, celebrities like Beyonce and Lady Gaga have had their blue checks removed, there are several others who feel it’s worth it to keep them and are paying the $8 fee. Here is a list of some of the more high profile celebrities who’ve chosen to keep their blue checks intact.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 10: In an aerial view, a modified company sign is posted on the exterior of the Twitter headquarters on April 10, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Twitter CEO Elon Musk had the sign in front of Twitter headquarters modified by painting over the letter “W” in the Twitter name. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
