A researcher finds Verification settings in Twitter's app showing that the company may be working on letting Blue subscribers hide their blue checkmark

Twitter may be working on a feature that lets you hide the blue checkmark you got by paying for its Blue subscription.

The Verge 2023-03-25 Mitchell Clark

Context & Ripple Effects

Twitter had turned the blue check into a Blue subscription benefit after rolling out the paid badge in several markets, while reports indicated it was weighing whether non-subscribing legacy-verified users could lose their badges. That made the marker both a product perk and a more contested identity signal.

The discovered setting points to an attempt to separate payment status from public display. Later coverage showed the option was ultimately made available to X Blue subscribers, albeit with limits on where the checkmark could still appear and which features remained available.

First-order effects

If released, Blue subscribers could keep subscription access while opting out of displaying the paid verification badge publicly.
Twitter would gain a way to reduce friction for users who value Blue features but do not want the checkmark to signal their subscription status.

Second-order effects

A hide option weakens the checkmark as a visible acquisition tool: observers and other users can no longer reliably infer that a checked account is a Blue customer.
The move could also reduce reputational pressure around paid verification, especially after some prominent accounts said they received unwanted Blue checkmarks.

Third-order effects

Verification is shifting from a single public trust label toward a bundle of account privileges whose visible status can be optional; that can make the badge less useful as a uniform platform-wide signal.
If subscription-linked status is increasingly configurable, platforms will have to distinguish more clearly between identity verification, paid features, and public reputation cues.

The trend: This is one data point in the unbundling of verification, as platforms turn a once-public status marker into a configurable subscription entitlement.

Discussion

@alex193a Alessandro Paluzzi on x
Twitter keeps working on the ability to control everything related to account verification and identity by adding the option to show or hide your blue checkmark on your profile 👀 https://twitter.com/...
@mattbinder Matt Binder on x
lol but don't worry you'll still be able to find the people paying yet hiding their checkmark via the Blue Verified filter in Twitter search so you can block them https://twitter.com/...
@nickmmark Nick Mark MD on x
Twitter: sign up to pay a bunch of money for a pointless status symbol. Also Twitter: you will be able to hide the pointless status symbol so no one knows you paid for it. https://twitter.com/...
@radiofreetom Tom Nichols on x
So now you'll be able to buy a blue check, and then hide it so you're not advertising that you're a sucker. Incredible. https://twitter.com/...
@3r1ng Erin Gallagher on x
So Twitter Blue accounts are given algorithmic priority ("rocket to the top") in replies and we won't know why some rando account is at the top of replies if they hide their ✔️ Gaming visibility in threads has been a trolling tactic forever, but now it's built in by design. https…
@wongmjane Jane Manchun Wong on x
Oh dear, the loss of the blue checkmark has public figures quaking in their designer boots! But fear not, esteemed elites, for there are plenty of other ways to flaunt your importance in this cruel, post-checkmark world. Behold, 15 ingenious solutions to help you regain that... h…
@rlycalm Diana Thirst on x
Other signs like the long winded posts, the verified tab etc, will give them away? So then we'll just laugh that they hid their check. But yes, cower, absolutely https://twitter.com/...
@pt Parker on x
This is silly, but actually makes sense. Some people would pay for features, but Blue is now associated with spammers and the sycophant brigade. Still probably doesn't move the revenue needle, but even just making not-insane product decisions is progress for the big guy. https://…
@proptermalone @proptermalone on x
this will literally get me to subscribe https://twitter.com/...
@pkedrosky Paul Kedrosky on x
Twitter is like something from a Sneetches knock-off, involving star-on and star-off machines. #xp https://twitter.com/...
@techpriest @techpriest on x
It's quite impressive that Twitter has made the blue tick such a strong inverse status symbol, that it's so increasingly associated with being a Elmo fan loser that they're offering an option to hide it The digital equivalent of booze in a brown paper bag https://www.engadget.com…
@newthinq @newthinq on x
Hope this is true because some of the features would be worth paying for, but damned if I want the checkmark. @elonmusk https://twitter.com/...
@williamlegate LeGate on x
signs things are going well 🤣 https://twitter.com/...
@kris_willis Kris Willis on x
They need to, because that is embarrassing https://twitter.com/...
@kurt_loder Kurt Loder on x
What's the point again...? https://twitter.com/...
@playgamesmovies @playgamesmovies on x
“Twitter Blue subscribers may be able to hide their blue checks” “Good news for anyone who wants to pay for Twitter but doesn't want to advertise that fact.” https://www.theverge.com/...
@chrismessina Chris Messina on x
Plot twist! Even if you're @verified, you'll be able to hide it on your Twitter profile! 🙃 https://twitter.com/...
@mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x
2022: Can you get me verified on Twitter? 2023: new ‘hide your blue checkmark’ option https://twitter.com/...
@robtornoe Rob Tornoe on x
Twitter Blue subscribers can hide their blue checkmark to avoid the public shame of being a Twitter Blue subscriber. https://twitter.com/...
@thatdavebrown Dave Brown on x
Twitter needs to generate $125 million a month for Elon Musk to make his annual interest payment alone. https://twitter.com/...
@ashtonpittman Ashton Pittman on x
Musk borrowed $44 billion to buy Twitter. He really thought he was gonna recoup those costs by getting people to pay for verified badges. https://twitter.com/...
@yoda Drew Olanoff on x
Forty-Four BILLION https://twitter.com/...
@evan_rosenfeld Evan Rosenfeld on x
So far, take-up has been fairly underwhelming. Since relaunching three months ago as a big push into non-advertising-based revenue, Twitter Blue has only picked up $11 million in mobile subscriptions. https://techcrunch.com/...
@soniaeryka Sonia Eryka on x
when selling out doesn't always mean it's selling much 😭 https://twitter.com/...
@givalogic @givalogic on x
@Techmeme this doesn't include web access, where a lot more people including myself want to pay less via the web.
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
If this is accurate, it's evidence that Musk's business focus (or at least his early execution) was wildly off base. “Blue checks” were not the big issue at Twitter. https://twitter.com/...
Twitter Help Center Twitter Help Center on x
About Twitter Verified Organizations
@dsilverman@mastodon.social Dwight Silverman on mastodon
And a reminder that there's a wonderful Chrome and Edge extension called Eight Dollars that shows you the difference between legacy and paid verified checkmarks on Twitter. Original verified shows as “Verified,” while Twitter blue verifieds show as “Paid.” …
@lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org Lauren Weinstein on mastodon
@mmasnick I'll feel honored the day Elon takes away mine.
@caseynewton@mastodon.social Casey Newton on mastodon
Reminder that Twitter has no system for removing badges at scale and will basically just have to use the list of accounts followed by @verified and start removing them manually. Have fun gang
@film_girl@mastodon.social Christina Warren on mastodon
I cannot understand why a man who is literally nothing but ego cannot grep that ego and vanity via a verified badge are what your “famous” users use your platform and thus get others to use it. …
@film_girl@mastodon.social Christina Warren on mastodon
Meanwhile, over on Twitter, Elon is getting rid of legacy check marks, thus ruining the whole reason anyone would pay for Twitter Blue. And I'm expecting this to last 35 seconds until all the celebrities …
@mmasnick@mastodon.social Mike Masnick on mastodon
This can't come soon enough. Take away my damn blue check. https://variety.com/...
@thekenyeung@mastodon.social Ken Yeung on mastodon
Twitter to “wind down” its legacy blue checkmark verification program on April 1(!). So if you want to be “verified”, you have to pay. — https://twitter.com/...
@verified @verified on x
On April 1st, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks. To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue here: https://twitter.com/... Organizations can sign up for https://twitter.com/...... ht…
@digiphile Alex Howard on x
News media should make it clearer that Musk's animus towards journalists is being expressed through removing @verified status, as with his attempts to delegitimize journalism & outlets which holds him to account. TBD? How many outlets pay him to get seen: https://view.newsletters…
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Any individual person's Twitter account affiliated with a verified organization is automatically verified https://twitter.com/...
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on x
“Paid for Twitter blue” has become an extremely reliable predictor of quality, just not in the way that Elon meant https://twitter.com/...
@reditlhabi Redi Tlhabi on x
Take your blue tick! You have already messed up the platform! We don't see tweets from our people & they don't see ours. But YOUR suggestions and ads somehow sneak through despite “turn off.” Let's not forget the “I'm so grateful to Luciano. I invested $1 & made $100 000!” Tsek! …
@fromthebunkerjr Jody Hamilton on x
Now I will know who is dumb enough to pay for a blue check and realize not to follow them. https://twitter.com/...
@taylorlewan77 Taylor Lewan on x
I remember training for the combine and getting verified. I truly thought I made it. Sad day for Twitter Taylor https://twitter.com/...
@evacide Eva on x
This is the natural end-game in the process of turning the blue check from a verification of identity to a source of ridicule and shame. https://twitter.com/...
@binarybits Timothy B. Lee on x
God, I wish there were a setting where I could hide all paid-blue-check long tweets. Every time I click one of those “show more” links I regret it. Obviously Elon isn't going to offer this option.
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x
Twitter is broken all the time but don't worry, they're working on high priority features like charging you $8/month to let everyone know you were dumb enough to pay for Twitter. https://twitter.com/...
@dylanmallman Dylan Allman on x
The point of the checkmark isn't to display that someone is notable. It's to verify that the account is who they say they are. Twitter has a lengthy verification process anytime someone signs up for Blue. It just won't be free anymore. Nothing else has changed. https://twitter.co…
@jbarro Josh Barro on x
I disagree: news media should not spend more time arguing that taking away our checkmarks is an attack on the free press https://twitter.com/...
@nickkristof Nicholas Kristof on x
Twitter will probably lose money from this step, because I expect very few news organizations or individual journalists will pay for blue checks, and administering the change will not be cheap. Seems another self-inflicted wounding of Twitter. https://twitter.com/...
@digiphile Alex Howard on x
Notes from @TechmemeChatter: https://www.techmeme.com/... -Nonprofits & local governments can't or won't pay $1000/month + $50/account for @verified status -@TwitterBlue hasn't shipped new features -Removing verification on #AprilFoolsDay is fraught; beware impersonation & fraud
@ryback @ryback on x
Are you going to fix the algorithm before this and my account? This is very important to a lot of people and should be priority number one in the corruption that took place before you took over. https://twitter.com/...
@reignofapril @reignofapril on x
This is WILD. Elon is taking the blue check away from the legacy accounts, leaving only those who paid for them. But everyone knows the negative stigma attached to being a Twitter Blue subscriber, so he's letting those folks hide the fact that they paid for a check. 😒 https://twi…
@drewisgooden Drew Gooden on x
the only value of a twitter blue checkmark now is that people might mistake you for someone who is actually notable. if you get rid of every other checkmark, then the twitter blue checkmark literally means nothing. they're actually devaluing their own product by doing this. https…
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on x
For $1000/month, which very few will do. 🙄 https://twitter.com/...
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
The organization verification cost is $1k per month, which will difficult and/or prohibitive for certain small businesses, nonprofits and local government groups. https://twitter.com/...
@zaleskiluke Luke Zaleski on x
Elon's arc is filling up like the titanic https://twitter.com/...
@golub @golub on x
All Russian bot farms too? https://twitter.com/...
@jessphoenix2018 @jessphoenix2018 on x
This is going to wreck what's left of this site's value as a communication platform. If we could just get the rich kids with new toys to stop tearing everything down because they didn't come up with it first, that would be terrific. https://twitter.com/...
@jangles Neville Hobson on x
Somehow #AprilFoolsDay seems most appropriate for my #Twitter legacy byebye https://twitter.com/...
@aoc Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on x
Last time they tried this someone pretended to be Eli Lilly and tanked their stock price by pretending insulin was free https://twitter.com/...
@jacksfilms @jacksfilms on x
On April 1st, you are legally allowed to bully anyone left with a blue checkmark https://twitter.com/...
@maxberger Max Berger on x
Twitter is going to get rid of verification on April Fools Day. I am sure that will not cause any problems! https://twitter.com/...
@daviddoel David Doel on x
Twitter wants $1000/month for big sites to keep their checkmark 😂 As stated below, Twitter drives almost no engagement. My links to YouTube will get like 9 likes yet I'll have 100k views on that YouTube video. Twitter as a platform is largely self-contained. https://twitter.com/.…
@froomkin @froomkin on x
I wonder if every organization is going to start paying a grand to ⁦@elonmusk⁩ — or none. https://variety.com/...
@wolfiesmom Valerie Bertinelli on x
He must be trying to make twitter obsolete. It's the only explanation. Every single decision he has made has put this app deeper in it's grave. https://twitter.com/...
@thedanjurgens Dan Jurgens on x
Here's a betting idea, @elonmusk. Instead of people paying for verification, how about making them pay for anonymity? Much of what's wrong with social media originates with people hiding behind phony identities so... make them pay for the privilege. https://twitter.com/...
@zaackhunt @zaackhunt on x
Apparently Elon decided the best way for him to pay back those $42 billion in loans is to turnTwitter into his own personal GoFundMe https://twitter.com/...
@gehrigdieter Gehrig Dieter on x
It was good while it lasted! 🤦🏼‍♂️ https://twitter.com/...
@davidhogg111 David Hogg on x
I'm not doing it so be carful what you see “me” say there might be fake accounts saying false things impersonating me. https://twitter.com/...
@gaetaamy Amy Gaeta on x
Best argument for more twitter blue https://twitter.com/...
@tarahaelle Tara Haelle on x
Once this policy is in place, a blue check will no longer enable to tell you who is really who they claim to be, but it will helpfully indicate the chumps and suckers whose ego compels them to spend money to feel better about themselves. https://twitter.com/...
@muellershewrote @muellershewrote on x
So to keep my blue check, I have to pay a sad billionaire $11 a month? Welp, it's been a good run, blue check. It's not me. It's you. Don't let the door hitcha. https://twitter.com/...
@joshconstine @joshconstine on x
Truly unhinged. Twitter is removing actual Verified profiles' checkmarks but will still let anyone buy them... starting April Fool's Day. So blue checks go from “not a scammer” to “best way to trick people into scams”, and Twitter ruins this safeguard for the whole internet.
@scottmonty Scott Monty on x
Well, it was nice while it lasted... https://twitter.com/...
@jonalba Jon Alba on x
Verification was once an important tool in fact-checking, sourcing, and validating information. It no longer matters. Won't be getting my money, not that he cares. The downfall of this platform just really, really sucks for people who used it for things other than shit-posting. h…
@meakoopa Anthony Oliveira on x
timing the death of verification and the subsequent flood of fake accounts for April Fools Day lmao https://twitter.com/...
@petersterne Peter Sterne on x
If you're an organization and you want to keep your verification, you'll need to pay $1000 PER MONTH. I predict a lot of newsrooms will soon be un-verified. https://twitter.com/...
@mattyglesias Matthew Yglesias on x
My hope is that being de-verified will lead to my tweets getting less engagement and then I won't tweet so much. 🙏 https://twitter.com/...
@mediaevan Evan DeSimone on x
At this point this is good news. Once they eliminate legacy checks the check mark will be a pretty clear indicator that someone shouldn't be taken seriously. Clarity is better than the current confusion. https://twitter.com/...
@kevinmkruse Kevin M. Kruse on x
As of April 1st, only the fools will have checkmarks. https://twitter.com/...
@eve6 @eve6 on x
Humbly requesting that you remove ours immediately so people don't think we're a white nationalist with 30 followers https://twitter.com/...
@chrismessina Chris Messina on x
So long my Verified Blue Check! Long have I known you! 👋🏻 🥲 Also, love that this is launching on April Fool's Day. https://twitter.com/...
@leftatlondon @leftatlondon on x
once i no longer have a legacy checkmark i will have nothing left to lose. i will start threatening people on here. i will commit cybercrimes. you dont want this. https://twitter.com/...
@theromit@mastodon.online @theromit@mastodon.online on mastodon
Wait, you are trying to say Musk promised something and did not follow through on it? He said he will show half the ads and the ads have not halved? :: shocked face:: https://www.theverge.com/...
@mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x
Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to hide their blue checkmarks to avoid the shame https://boingboing.net/... https://twitter.com/...
@twitterblue @twitterblue on x
Twitter Blue is now available globally! Sign up today to get your blue checkmark, prioritized ranking in conversations, half ads, long Tweets, Bookmark Folders, custom navigation, Edit Tweet, Undo Tweet, and more. Sign up here: https://twitter.com/...
@emilygorcenski Emily Gorcenski on x
I'll believe it when I see it. So far he's promised to remove blue checks and free API access, I still have both https://arstechnica.com/...
@pbump Philip Bump on x
Pre-Musk: Here's a check bc you are important. When he takes over: Why do you think you're important?! Everyone deserves this positive signifier!!! Now: The signifier is now negative and we want to accommodate that. https://twitter.com/...
@soulstealer_hs @soulstealer_hs on x
Hey @elonmusk you say it's half the ads but since I got my checkmark, the ads have been twice as much😕 https://twitter.com/...
@iboudreau Ian Boudreau on x
This company is $13 billion in debt if you can believe it https://twitter.com/...
@lilghosthands Dalton Day on x
“Imagine paying for a secret shape” is now my favorite sentence. https://twitter.com/...
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Twitter Verified now available worldwide! https://twitter.com/...
@zaleskiluke Luke Zaleski on x
The amount of money and power and technology and control in Elon's hands alone is unprecedented in human history and the majority of Americans are sleeping on the possible consequences inherent to that consolidation of unchecked authority over so much capacity to impact the world…
@jt_mag_os Magdalena Osumi on x
Shouldn't Twitter be renamed as “Money talks?” https://twitter.com/...
@bluewaterdays @bluewaterdays on x
Is there a NO SHADOW BAN VERSION AVAILABLE? https://twitter.com/...
@tweet @tweet on x
My reach (impressions/tweet views) went down hugely, immediately after my blue check appeared - from tens of thousands per tweet to single digit thousands. I'm not thrilled. https://twitter.com/...

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