# Musk halts Twitter’s coveted blue check amid proliferation of imposters Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-11-11 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Twitter Pauses $8 Blue Check Subscription Service Amid Fake Meta Description: Twitter halts $8 blue check subscription as fake accounts surge under Elon Musk’s ownership. Chaos ensues after firing staff and raising bankruptcy concerns. URL: https://financedigest.com/musk-halts-twitters-coveted-blue-check-amid-proliferation-of-impostershtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-11-11t205923z3lynxmpeiaa0jartroptp4twitter-management-1736814874767-compressed.jpg) By Nivedita Balu (Reuters) -Twitter Inc paused its recently announced $8 blue check subscription service on Friday as fake accounts mushroomed, and new owner Elon Musk brought back the “official” badge to some users of the social media platform. The coveted blue check mark was previously reserved for verified accounts of politicians, famous personalities, journalists and other public figures. But a subscription option, open to anyone prepared to pay, was rolled out earlier this week to help Twitter [grow revenue](https://www.financedigest.com/supercapacitors-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-19-8-in-terms-of-revenue-during-the-forecast-period-2028.html "Supercapacitors Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 19.8% In Terms Of Revenue During The Forecast Period 2028") as Musk fights to retain advertisers. The flip-flop is part of a chaotic two weeks at Twitter since Musk completed his $44 [billion acquisition](https://www.financedigest.com/chipmaker-infineon-ready-to-spend-billions-on-acquisitions-ceo.html "Chipmaker Infineon ready to spend billions on acquisitions – CEO"). [Musk has fired nearly half of Twitter’s](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-plans-to-cut-half-of-twitter-jobs-bloomberg-news.html "Elon Musk plans to cut half of Twitter jobs – Bloomberg News") workforce, removed its board and senior executives, and raised the prospect of Twitter’s bankruptcy. The U.S. Federal [Trade Commission said on Thursday it was watching Twitter with “deep](https://www.financedigest.com/online-trading-is-like-swimming-dont-jump-in-the-deep-end-without-having-lessons.html "Online trading is like swimming – don’t jump in the deep end without having lessons") concern. Several [users reported](https://www.financedigest.com/cma-report-looks-to-interventions-to-help-overdraft-users.html "CMA REPORT LOOKS TO INTERVENTIONS TO HELP OVERDRAFT USERS") on Friday that the new subscription option for the blue verification check mark had disappeared, while a source told Reuters the offering has been dropped. Twitter did not reply to a request for comment. Fake accounts purporting to be big brands have popped up with the blue check since the new roll-out, including [Musk’s Tesla](https://www.financedigest.com/musk-says-tesla-price-cuts-triggered-demand-2023-sales-could-hit-2-million-vehicles.html "Musk says Tesla price cuts triggered demand, 2023 sales could hit 2 million vehicles") and SpaceX, as well as Roblox, Nestle and Lockheed Martin. To combat impersonation, we’ve added an ‘Official’ [label to some accounts,” Twitter’s](https://www.financedigest.com/twitter-to-introduce-official-label-for-some-verified-accounts.html "Twitter to introduce ‘Official’ label for some verified accounts") support account – which has the “official” tag – tweeted on Friday. The label was originally introduced on Wednesday – but “killed” by Musk just hours later. Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co issued an apology after an imposter account tweeted that insulin would be free, [amid political backlash](https://www.financedigest.com/companies-in-china-distance-themselves-from-taiwan-amid-pelosi-backlash.html "Companies in China distance themselves from Taiwan amid Pelosi backlash") and scrutiny into the high prices of the medicine. “We apologize to those who have been served a misleading message from a fake Lilly account,” the company said, reiterating the name of its Twitter handle. A number of misleading [tweets about Tesla](https://www.financedigest.com/musk-loses-bid-to-end-sec-agreement-on-oversight-of-tesla-tweets.html "Musk loses bid to end SEC agreement on oversight of Tesla tweets") from a verified account with the same profile picture as the company’s official account were also being circulated on the platform. Twitter has over the past several [years worked to try to improve](https://www.financedigest.com/effective-integration-will-improve-mobility-in-the-tl-sector-over-the-next-five-years.html "Effective Integration Will Improve Mobility in the T&L Sector Over the Next Five Years") that (misinformation). And it seems like [Elon Musk](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-and-others-urge-ai-pause-citing-risks-to-society.html "Elon Musk and others urge AI pause, citing ‘risks to society’") has unraveled it within a matter of weeks,” said A.J. Bauer, a professor at the University of Alabama. Musk had said [Twitter users engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying it as a “parody” account would be permanently suspended](https://www.financedigest.com/loreal-denies-report-saying-it-suspended-twitter-ad-spending.html "L’Oréal denies report saying it suspended Twitter ad spending") without a warning. Several fake [brand accounts](https://www.financedigest.com/what-accounts-for-tcss-rapid-brand-value-growth-over-the-past-five-years.html "What accounts for TCS’s rapid brand value growth over the past five years"), including those of Nintendo and BP, have been suspended. On Thursday, in his first company-wide email, Musk warned that Twitter would not be able to “survive the upcoming economic downturn” if it failed to [boost subscription revenue](https://www.financedigest.com/orpea-shares-jump-on-q4-revenue-and-cash-boost.html "Orpea shares jump on Q4 revenue and cash boost") to offset falling advertising income, three people who saw the message told Reuters. Many companies, [including General Motors and United](https://www.financedigest.com/stanchart-weighing-options-including-sale-of-aircraft-lessor-unit.html "StanChart weighing options, including sale, of aircraft lessor unit") Airlines, have paused or pulled back from advertising on the platform since Musk took over. In response, the billionaire said on Wednesday he aimed to turn Twitter into a force for truth and stop fake accounts. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu and Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru and Paresh Dave in Oakland, California; Writing by Denny ThomasEditing by Devika Syamnath and Rosalba O’Brien) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---