Key takeaways:
- Elon Musk boasted about paying for three celebrities to keep their blue check marks on the platform without subscribing to the new Twitter Blue service.
- The move has caused controversy, as Twitter had promised that all checkmarks would be removed if users weren’t paying for the subscription.
- Twitter has yet to comment on the situation, and it remains to be seen whether or not the company will take action against Musk for his actions.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk has come under fire after boasting about paying for three celebrities to keep their blue check marks on the platform without subscribing to the new Twitter Blue service.
The service, which costs $8 a month, gives a blue check mark next to subscribers’ names. However, NBA superstar LeBron James, horror author Stephen King and “Star Trek” legend William Shatner were able to keep their check marks without forking over cash because Musk says he’s paying for them.
The move has caused controversy, as Twitter had promised that all checkmarks would be removed if users weren’t paying for the subscription. King noticed something was afoot late Thursday, as other users’ blue check marks began to vanish but his remained in place.
The free tick system for public figures was axed on Thursday, and users now have to pay $8 per month to keep their verification. Musk’s move has been met with criticism, as it appears to be a way of circumventing the system and giving preferential treatment to certain celebrities.
Twitter has yet to comment on the situation, and it remains to be seen whether or not the company will take action against Musk for his actions. In the meantime, it appears that the three celebrities will be able to keep their blue check marks without paying for the service.
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