November 11, 2022

Elon Musk’s Chaotic Changes to Twitter’s Verification Process Have Already Been Canceled

But we’ve got the rundown on all the fun that was had. RIP Twitter Blue.

Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/ Associated Press

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

Elon Musk’s most recent Twitter experiment has reportedly shut down less than a week after introducing major changes to its verification process. But despite the short life of Twitter Blue, plenty of fun was had. Let’s rewind.  

Last week, the tech billionaire introduced Twitter Blue, a new program that would allow people to buy a verification checkmark for $7.99 a month, roughly the price of a pack of Fruit of the Loom panties. But as many predicted, realistic-looking spoof accounts for brands and public figures quickly surfaced. Musk attempted to fix the problem by creating a rule that “accounts engaged in parody” must declare themselves as parody. But that failed.

So, of course, in true Twitter fashion, hilarity ensued. Parody accounts with bright blue verification checks popped up left and right, much to the delight of millions of users relishing the latest Musk chaos. The platform has tried to suspend some. But with every locked account, a new one quickly popped up in its wake. Let’s take a look at the highlights. 

Y’all this is too funny.

Not even Joe Biden is safe. 

The jokes have become so meta that we have spoof accounts creating fake apologies for the tweets of other spoof accounts. 

More hilarity:

Oof, this one. 

Finally, on Friday, Platformer managing editor Zoe Schiffer reported that Twitter suspended Twitter Blue. But I’m happy that, for the short time it was around, I got to see madness happen. RIP Twitter Blue. Gone but not forgotten. 

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate