Twitter has restored the verification badges on several high-profile celebrity accounts just days after the platform culled the legacy blue checkmarks for non-paying users. Indian celebrities and top politicians, including Shah Rukh Khan and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, lost verified blue ticks on their Twitter accounts after the Elon Musk-led microblogging site started removing checkmark icons from accounts that did not pay a subscription fee. However, the coveted blue ticks have made a comeback on the accounts of these celebrities, including top cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, who lost their blue tick mark on their Twitter handles but have since gotten them back.
It is not immediately clear whether these accounts have paid for verification. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted that he did not pay for the blue tick on his Twitter handle. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai expressed her surprise and delight at getting the blue tick reinstated, tweeting, “I don’t know what happened but I’m happy to have my blue tick back so everyone knows I am still Malala.”
There is no official word from Twitter on the reinstated blue ticks, but the company is reportedly restoring the verified status for accounts with high follower counts. Accounts of some global celebrities who are no longer alive, like Chadwick Boseman, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson, have also had their blue tick reinstated.
Earlier this week, Twitter began removing the check mark from the profiles of thousands of celebrities, politicians, and journalists. This led to some of the biggest and most popular names losing the blue tick mark on their Twitter handles. However, a few high-profile personalities, including American author Stephen King, US professional basketball player LeBron James, and legendary actor William Shatner, retained their blue tick as Musk announced he would personally pay for these accounts.
The move is significant as it has sparked debates about the importance of verification on social media platforms. Verification is important as it helps users distinguish between genuine and fake accounts, particularly in the case of high-profile personalities. Twitter has stated that it wants to make the verification process more accessible to all users, and it recently introduced a new verification application process. However, the recent move by Twitter has been criticized by some users who claim that it discriminates against smaller accounts and favors those with a larger following.
In conclusion, Twitter’s move to restore the blue ticks on high-profile celebrity accounts has come as a surprise and has sparked debates about the importance of verification on social media platforms. While the company has not officially commented on the move, it is reportedly restoring the verified status for accounts with high follower counts.
