Twitter CEO Elon Musk has followed through on his promise to remove the verified blue tick from users who have not paid for Twitter’s new paid service, Twitter Blue, which includes an $8 fee for the verification badge.
In response, notable figures, including CNN’s Larry Madowo, refused to comply with Musk’s stipulations. However, Twitter announced on Thursday that it was going to remove legacy verified checkmarks, and badges have now started disappearing.
Madowo’s verified checkmark has been removed, as have those of other journalists, including senior news anchors Yvonne Okwara, Trevor Ombija, and Waihiga Mwaura, as well as journalists Ferdinand Omondi and Roncliffe Odit and sports journalist Eric Njiru.
While some are defiantly refusing to pay, others are reflecting on the changing times and the end of the era of the legacy verified account. The controversial move has sparked chaos and rebellion on Twitter, with hundreds of notable names, celebrities, journalists, and global stars caught up in the de-verification process.
