News
Facing the Verified Embarrassment? Twitter Offers an Innovative Way Out
This movement is very hard...

- August 2, 2023
- Updated: July 2, 2025 at 1:33 AM

There was a time when having the Twitter verification was something coveted and desired. If Twitter verified you, it meant that you were someone relevant in your field. Hence, you were worthy of having the blue checkmark. I had it, and it was cool, I’m not going to lie.
But since the arrival of Elon Musk, everything has changed. I have lost my blue badge, and with me, everyone who doesn’t pay up every month. Even celebrities and highly relevant individuals have to pay for the checkmark. If you don’t pay, you can’t have it… and now, it’s become a stigma.
Unfortunately for those who pay, that badge has become a sort of indelible mark that clearly shows they are Elon Musk’s fans and support the new caste system of the X app. This is so well-known that in the old Twitter, they have decided to lend a hand to Blue subscribers.
Pay to stand out… and have the verified taken away from you
On early Tuesday, Twitter added a note about the “Hide your blue badge” option on the platform’s verification help page. This change means that the blue verification badge will no longer appear alongside account profile pages or their posts.
The site explains that using the blue features may still identify you as a paying subscriber, and some functions may not be available at all while the badge is hidden.
The feature is available in the profile customization tab for users in the account settings.
The blue badge grants users features such as the option to edit posts, a 10,000-character limit, 50% fewer ads, and most importantly: priority ranking in conversations and searches.
To incentivize more people to pay the $8 verification fee, Musk experimented by granting free verification to some verified legacy accounts and celebrities like the writer Stephen King.
In May, Twitter changed the blue verification labels to no longer mention whether the verification was paid or granted.
With this move, Musk has allowed numerous trolls to impersonate official accounts and unleash chaos on his social network. There have been instances of accounts posing as Nintendo and posting obscene pictures of Mario Bros.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
Journalist specialized in technology, entertainment and video games. Writing about what I'm passionate about (gadgets, games and movies) allows me to stay sane and wake up with a smile on my face when the alarm clock goes off. PS: this is not true 100% of the time.
Latest from Chema Carvajal Sarabia
- The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, has explained US policy in a way that everyone can understand: with Mario Kart
- The creators of Stranger Things are leaving Netflix to head to its most direct competitor
- A complete version of the movie The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender has leaked online
- Batman’s most stubborn villain receives the first trailer for his imminent movie
You may also like
NewsWhat comes after 'Super Mario Galaxy'? Five possible projects about the future of Nintendo in film
Read more
- News
Everyone thinks that 'Euphoria' is an original series, but in reality, it is just a remake
Read more
NewsThe new Fable has specialists making the cutscenes: Blizzard Entertainment
Read more
NewsEven a dachshund can play LOL, as long as it's with a magical cat
Read more
NewsThe mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, has explained US policy in a way that everyone can understand: with Mario Kart
Read more
NewsThe creators of Stranger Things are leaving Netflix to head to its most direct competitor
Read more