Internal post and sources: Twitter delays rolling out verification checkmarks to Blue subscribers until November 9, the day after the US midterm elections
Twitter’s delayed rollout interrupted a plan to charge for verification that had been slated to begin days earlier, with existing verified users initially given a grace period. The timing mattered because the change would have landed during a national election cycle.
Blue subscribers had to wait for verification checkmarks, while Twitter avoided introducing a new paid identity signal until after the midterm elections.
Twitter’s verification rollout team gained a brief window to address the account-authenticity risks that later forced a signup pause.
Second-order effects
Brands, politicians, and celebrities were spared an immediate election-period environment in which paid checkmarks could be mistaken for established account verification.
The later impersonation-driven suspension showed that charging for verification required Twitter to add controls before Blue could function as a reliable subscription product.
Third-order effects
Twitter’s later restoration of checkmarks to high-follower accounts—including accounts that denied paying—suggests verification was shifting from a clear identity credential into a contested platform-status feature.
If paid badges and legacy-style checkmarks continue to coexist, account authenticity will depend less on the symbol itself and more on Twitter’s enforcement and disclosure rules.
The trend: Twitter’s verification system is moving from a selective identity signal toward a subscription-linked status product, creating persistent trust and impersonation trade-offs.
Twitter will delay the $8 verification rollout until after Tuesday's elections because of fears of voting misinfo, according to internal docs @RMac18 @MikeIsaac https://www.nytimes.com/...
@sriramk
Sriram Krishnan on x
3. the current model also has severe spam issues ( check out any reply to @VitalikButerin or @elonmusk and you'll see lots of hacked blue check accounts ). $8 and giving everyone ✅ makes those attacks less valuable.
@rmac18
Ryan Mac on x
On Sat, one employee raised a concern about the badge rollout: “Why are we making such a risky change before elections, which has the potential of causing election interference...?” On Sunday, they announced the decision to change the date to Nov. 9. https://www.nytimes.com/... h…
@rmac18
Ryan Mac on x
Twitter is delaying the roll out of verification badges until after the US midterm elections, according to an internal post we've seen. https://www.nytimes.com/...
@richardosman
Richard Osman on x
Just been followed by literally thousands of accounts with Twitter handles ending .eth .nft and .crypto. This feels like a healthy and positive new direction for Twitter.
@mikeisaac
Rat King on x
NEWS: Twitter will halt handing out blue verification badges until AFTER the Tues US Midterm elections, per people familiar w/ @kateconger @RMac18 https://www.nytimes.com/...
@mysk_co
@mysk_co on x
According to the App Store Review Guidelines, promoting content or features that the app doesn't offer is a violation. Also, promoting a false price is a violation. The current Twitter update: a) Doesn't offer the blue checkmark b) Doesn't include a subscription for $7.99/month🤷…
@maxkennerly
Max Kennerly on x
Assuming Twitter really is losing $4M/day, approximately 82% of that loss comes from the $13 billion in debt Musk added to the company's books in his debt leveraged buyout. Wouldn't be surprising if the rest came from his own actions frightening away advertisers. 🚶 https://twitte…
@davidoatkins
David Atkins on x
I'm sure all this barely-thought-out chaos is thrilling potential advertisers. https://twitter.com/...
@edbott
Kathy Griffin on x
Please, Tim Apple, review the Twitter app. https://twitter.com/...
@goangelo
Angelo Carusone on x
This is why public pressure and in particular consumer and advertiser pressure matters. Doesn't make all the problems go away and much more to fix. But this prevents one big problem from manifesting before elections. Onward! https://twitter.com/...
@digiphile
Alex Howard on x
Good idea, @Twitter. Even better? Do it right. Verify the identity of all who wish it, @ElonMusk, & roll out 🔰Trusted badges to media, election officials, doctors, & government agencies: https://twitter.com/... & build out @TwitterBlue & @SuperFollows (Subscribers) separately. ht…
@neilmcmahon
Neil McMahon on x
So Twitter is delaying roll out of the $$ blue checkmarks after heeding warnings of potential election chaos with fake accounts in the #midterms. Which is great. But the potential for exactly the same chaos doesn't end on Wednesday. It's quite mad. https://www.nytimes.com/...
@allisonlcarter
Allison Carter on x
Media needs to stop calling these verification badges. Nothing released indicates any identity verification past whether your card clears. https://twitter.com/...
@kellylynnedang
@kellylynnedang on x
Lol just change “Twitter” to Elon, there's only one person making these choices and calling the shots like it's his personal playground (because now, it kind of is) https://twitter.com/...
@mattnavarra
Matt Navarra on x
CONFIRMED: Twitter halts handing out blue tick verification badges until AFTER the Tues US Midterm elections Concerns about abuse finally sinks in https://www.nytimes.com/...
@yaeleisenstat
Yael Eisenstat on x
@samidh He very well knows it is not. In fact, that was one of the things he told us he agreed with when I specifically said all policies and enforcement should stay in place until well after Election Day.
@katiephang
Katie S. Phang on x
NEW: “A manager working on the verification badge project responded on Sunday that 'we've made the decision to move the launch of this release to Nov. 9, after the election.'” https://www.nytimes.com/...
@kylegriffin1
Kyle Griffin on x
Twitter is delaying the rollout of its $7.99/month verification check marks until after Tuesday's midterm elections. There were some internal fears that going ahead before the elections would sow discord. https://www.nytimes.com/...