Twitter began removing the legacy blue checkmarks from individual accounts that were not paying the US$8 a month fee on Thursday, leading to confusion over which accounts were real.
Twitter removed the blue checkmarks for almost all users who had been verified under the previous system. The previous system had been used under the former administration to verify journalists, celebrities and politicians who had proved their identity to Twitter. The company’s owner, Elon Musk, however personally paid subscription costs for several high-profile celebrities.
