--- title: >- Twitter Unverified date: 2023-04-20 22:34:21 modified: 2023-04-20 22:34:21 lang: en authors: rysiek tags: - twitter - techbros - musings status: published pinned: false --- The following is probably mostly obvious to anyone who had been using Twitter for the last decade. But for those who are just confused what the whole hubbub around Twitter "[verified checkmark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_verification#cite_note-1)" is all about, here goes! A long while ago [Twitter started making certain accounts "verified"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210206202337/https://www.pcmag.com/archive/phew-twitter-verifies-celebrity-tweets-as-authentic-241349). This was supposed to [combat impersonation](https://web.archive.org/web/20090718141053/http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/06/06/facing-lawsuits-and-complaints-from-celebs-twitter-launches-verified-accounts/) (and in that it was even quite effective, apparently). But since the "verified" checkmark was [given by Twitter on Twitter's sole discretion](https://web.archive.org/web/20160720094013/https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/111-features/articles/119135-about-verified-accounts), and since it mostly went to Large, Important Accounts (celebrities, politicians, and so on), it quickly became a status symbol of sorts. "Witness me, for I have the Verified Checkmark, therefore I am considered Important!", [that kind of thing](https://web.archive.org/web/20171110030601/https://twitter.com/twittersupport/status/928654369771356162). When Melon took over in November, [this was an easy target](https://web.archive.org/web/20221101174507/https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587498907336118274). First of all, a lot of these blue checkmarks were "left wing media" people and so on, or otherwise people who could be claimed by his twisted alt-right peanut of a brain to be "establishment" — as opposed, of course, to the [Apartheid Clyde himself](https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/elon-musks-dad-errol-says-he-can-prove-existence-of-emerald-mine/news-story/31bffe646867c659b85041fe3cca3857), who in no way can be said to be an "establishment" person, nuh-huh! Secondly, as it's a status symbol, maybe people could get cajolled to [pay for this](https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/1/23435092/elon-musk-twitter-blue-verification-cost-ads-search)? And third, as a security measure — impersonating a well known person or a trusted organization is great when you're trying to phish someone or send them a malwared link… — maybe large organizations will want to pay [even more](https://technext24.com/2023/03/31/twitter-wants-organisations-to-pay-1k/) for the priviledge of being more difficult to impersonate on Twitter? Turns out, no. [The backlash](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-31/twitter-s-verification-fee-sparks-backlash-from-lebron-james-celebrities) was so strong, that Twitter even started letting those who did pay for Twitter Blue to [*hide the checkmark*](https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/24/23655092/twitter-blue-verified-checkmark-hide-research), because [it started being associated with supporting Musk](https://nitter.it/halleberry/status/1648869732148301824#m). Meanwhile organizations started coming out strong with "[hell no we won't pay your protection racket money](https://www.businessinsider.com/news-organizations-wont-pay-elon-musk-twitter-blue-checkmark-verified-2023-3?r=US&IR=T)", as to them it seemed (pretty on-point I'd say) as if [Chief Twit](https://www.npr.org/2022/10/27/1131736191/elon-musk-twitter-tesla-spacex) was basically saying: "fancy Twitter profile for an organization you have there; [it would be a *shame* if someone impersonated it](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/technology/twitter-blue-fake-accounts.html)!" Today is the day (4.20; yes, the Toddler King made [another marijuana joke here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(cannabis_culture))) where legacy "verified" checkmarks are finally disappearing and only the paid ones remain. In other words, [the Fediverse has a better verification system](https://fedi.tips/how-do-i-verify-my-account/) than Twitter now.