Twitter said on Friday it had reinstated the official badge given to some accounts days after removing it, while several users reported that the new $8 subscription option for the blue check icon had disappeared.
The move follows a rise in fake accounts on the platform after new boss Elon Musk allowed users to pay $8 for the coveted blue badge that was once reserved for verified accounts of politicians, actors and other top personalities.
Fake accounts from big brands have emerged with blue verification stamps, including Tesla and SpaceX, Musk, Eli Lilly, Nestle and Lockheed Martin.
“To combat identity spoofing, we’ve added an official label to some accounts,” Twitter wrote. On Wednesday, Musk tweeted that he had “killed” the new label within hours of releasing it.
Meanwhile, several users said the option to sign up for Twitter Blue, the $8 subscription service that comes with blue badge verification, was gone.
Twitter did not respond to a request for comment.
“Verified with Twitter API (Application Programming Interface) and In-App Purchase for Twitter Blue Verified is no longer listed for production,” said application researcher Jane Manchun Wong in a tweet.
Musk had said on Sunday that Twitter users who engaged in impersonation without clearly specifying it as a “spoof” account would be permanently suspended without warning.
Source: CNN Brasil
Joe Jameson, a technology journalist with over 2 years of experience, writes for top online news websites. Specializing in the field of technology, Joe provides insights into the latest advancements in the industry. Currently, he contributes to covering the world stock market.
