Twitter Rolls Out New “Official” Label For Notable Accounts Just to “kill”

by Adeel Younas

On Wednesday, Elon Musk, Twitter’s new creator, announced that he had “removed” the grey checkmark that had shown beneath the username on the “official” accounts. This checkmark had been introduced accompanying Musk’s controversial and hurriedly constructed $8 checkmark plan.

Musk tweeted “I just killed it” mere hours after the new tag was extended to government accounts, significant corporations, and major media sites.

“Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months. We will keep what works & change what doesn’t.” The world’s richest man explained the abrupt change of heart.

Twitter begins to roll out, then kills, grey Official Label

Musk’s surprise change of heart comes just a week after he let off hundreds of employees and saw a significant drop in spending from advertisers who are dubious about the site’s destiny.

The botched launch came just days before the much-anticipated release of a revamped membership model, which would make the site’s iconic blue checkmark available for $7.99. (though Musk has also claimed the price will be modified by country).

It was often assumed that only well-known individuals or media organizations would pay for the small blue tick that certifies their account’s authenticity. In the view of observers, the official gray label seemed a simple solution to the problem.

It all started on Wednesday, when major firms such as Apple and BMW, as well as government institutions such as the White House and major media outlets, began utilizing the new official designation.

All references to “official” accounts, such as those of Agence France-Presse, BBC News, Pope Francis, and the contentious musician Kanye West, have vanished.

Esther Crawford, a corporate executive who announced the gray tick concept on Tuesday, stressed that the official label would still be included in the relaunch, but that “we are primarily focusing on government and commercial institutions at the time.”

Musk attempted damage control in a panel for advertisers that broadcast on Twitter, admitting that the site needed a lot of work before it could reach the position he desired.

“We’ve got a lot to do on the software side. I can’t emphasize that enough”, Musk further added.

Musk eventually obtained control of Twitter after a protracted legal battle in which the eccentric businessman attempted to back out of an acquisition that many believe he overpaid for.

Musk sold $4 billion worth of Tesla shares on Tuesday to help pay for a deal that put him in debt for billions of dollars. Since Musk took charge, the company has lost sponsors, but the $7.99 subscription idea might help make up the difference.

It is currently unclear whether or not the updated version of Twitter Blue has been made available to users, but the social media platform has indicated that this will occur after the conclusion of the midterm elections.

Those who are opposed to the upcoming change in verification point out that it could make it easier to impersonate public figures, which in turn could lead to the widespread dissemination of false information.

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