Twitter’s Blue Ticks Mysteriously Return — Even for the Dead
- Gaiman, McKellen among celebs denying they paid for the labels
- Confusion has reigned on Twitter since Musk’s move last week
Photographer: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
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Confusion surrounding Twitter Inc. deepened over the weekend after a number of high-profile accounts saw their prized blue check-marks reinstated — even though some of their owners have been dead for years.
Celebrities and public figures took to the platform to deny having paid the $8 a month that yields the colored tick, despite labels stating the “account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number.” Unpaid, legacy blue ticks — which once conferred authenticity on accounts verified by the company — were removed last week as part of billionaire owner Elon Musk’s push to boost revenue.