Discussion

• @tomwellborn3 Tom L. Wellborn on threads

  In a quirky twist, Xitter is sprinkling free blue-checks like fairy dust, baffling the platform's elite.  Musk's attempt at reviving the cachet of paid verification seems as successful as selling ice to Eskimos.  Users, from legal eagles to stars, are bemused, echoing a sentiment…

• @pilgrimaltsburg.bsky.social @pilgrimaltsburg.bsky.social on bluesky

  Musk causes chaos and tanks the Bird Site by “democratizing” the blue check for $8 only to start giving out blue checks to “influential members of the communtiy” under the guise of “complimentary” memberships.  —  Guys, I think Musk is gonna get us to Mars with his big business b…

• @kevinmkruse.bsky.social Kevin M. Kruse on bluesky

  Amazing.  —  He's so incredibly thirsty.  [embedded post]

• @radiofreetom.bsky.social Tom Nichols on bluesky

  Over at Twitter, which I know we usually don't discuss here, I have to say that it's really funny to see Musk handing out free blue checks again

• @gergelyorosz Gergely Orosz on x

  Seems like all accounts that previously had a checkmark are getting their blue check back, even w/o paying. I've cancelled paying for Premium now that this is the case - and I assume I'll get the checkmark as well automatically. (Maybe not) So what does the checkmark mean now?

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  To the point of my tweet above, it now makes sense that I didn't but instead a bunch of my followers regained their checks lifting me back up. Rising tide lifted a lot of boats so they say.

• @mattbinder Matt Binder on x

  based on all the confused tweets i'm seeing, it looks like Twitter / X is starting to really ramp up the roll out of this now if you suddenly have a blue checkmark even though you're not paying for one, this is why: [image]

• @elonmusk Elon Musk on x

  @Gnerphk @NateSilver538 😎

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  @mariaressa Same thing happened. Here is their explanation. [image]

• @angie_rasmussen Dr. Angela Rasmussen on x

  Wait a minute...my blue check is back? Thanks, I guess, except it's kind of embarrassing to be in the same elite class as millions of disinformation-mongers, crypto scammers, and porn bots. I certainly did not pay for this shit. [image]

• @natesilver538 Nate Silver on x

  “Twitter is so terrible, I am embarrassed by the stigma of an automaticaly granted blue check!” would be more persuasive if you didn't post on Twitter constantly. (This is a subtweet but of like 70 different people.)

• @willoremus Will Oremus on x

  the few. the ashamed. the people who got their blue checks taken away, stayed on here anyway for some reason and now have them back.

• @johnonolan @johnonolan on x

  18 months after having my verified status removed, it has suddenly been randomly reinstated? [image]

• @kimzetter Kim Zetter on x

  What does this mean? I just got this message, and my account looks like it has the blue checkmark restored to it (it got taken away when Twitter switched to paid checkmarks). I didn't pay to have it restored. Did the policy change?

• @seungminkim Seung Min Kim on x

  I get Tweetdeck again so honestly, I am not complaining!

• @sethabramson Seth Abramson on x

  I just downloaded the Eight Dollars extension and am already in love with it. It'll tell you which blue checks are real and which were paid for—which is key because nearly all paid checks are Elongelicals. 🔗: https://chromewebstore.google.com/ ... [image]

• @holy_schnitt Ellie Schnitt on x

  omg they gave me a blue checkmark for being “influential” on twitter. they have simply reinvented the original blue check i'm laughing so hard [image]

• @aodespair David Simon on x

  Fuck right off. He devalued its meaning and purpose in every sense and made it a symbol of the worst kind of rank trollery. Now he wants to give it back whether we want it or not? It's permissible to tell the guy to piss on his shoes. Looks good on you, though. You wear it well.

• @alexeheath Alex Heath on x

  If you've gotten a message like this / your check is back without paying, @ me

• @inafried Ina Fried on x

  It was almost exactly a year ago that the original blue checks were taken away. https://techcrunch.com/...

• @evacide Eva on x

  https://www.theverge.com/... The check mark is back and I want to make it absolutely clear that I did not give this place a single penny of my money.

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  I'd like to have more clarity than a confusing tweet from an inconsistent and erratic owner. I'm also surprised I would have 2,500 paying subs following me under the pay to play regime although I'm pretty sure I did when the checks meant something more.

• @brandyzadrozny Brandy Zadrozny on x

  Wait so are all the people who pay for blue checks gonna be so mad because it seems like it might make these people mad

• @harrymccracken Harry McCracken on x

  (My blue checkmark is mysteriously back.)

• @monaeltahawy Mona Eltahawy on x

  What's going on?! How come I'm getting my blue check back? I haven't paid anything for it [image]

• @radleybalko Radley Balko on x

  So Elon took the blue check away, turned it into an embarrassment, forced it back on some of us, and is now making us pay him to hide it. Still not giving him a dime. But you gotta respect the grift.

• @jason_kint Jason Kint on x

  !!!!!!!!! Happiness unlocked again. [image]

• @sarahspain Sarah Spain on x

  So why do we think X changed course here? Trying to muddy the waters so it's not clear whether blue checks are ppl of note or those who paid after it became something to mock instead of a perceived value? Still won't fix issue of knowing whether a tweet is from a vetted source. […

• @mattdpearce Matt Pearce on x

  lmao am I being punished with a blue check now?? [image]

• @timnitgebru @timnitgebru on x

  Why do I have a blue check next to my profile???

• @alexrkonrad Alex Konrad on x

  @alexeheath what fresh hell [image]

• r/technology r on reddit

  X's ‘complimentary’ Premium push gives people blue checks they didn't ask for