On Thursday, Twitter finally followed through and dropped the verified blue checkmarks for accounts not paying for Twitter Blue.
However, some accounts still retained their blue checkmarks despite publicly stating they wouldn’t be shelling out for a Blue subscription. One of those accounts belongs to LeBron James, who tweeted last month that he wasn’t paying for a blue checkmark.
https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1641836984195743749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1641836984195743749%7Ctwgr%5Eddd08ba14927f78135a90b3b152b5770cca6a303%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2023%2F4%2F20%2F23691831%2Ftwitter-blue-verified-celebrity-lebron-james-stephen-king
But James’ account still retains his blue checkmark even after the purge on Thursday, leading many to believe he paid after all.
However, that doesn’t appear to e the case. Elon Musk tweeted that he was “paying for a few” Twitter Blue accounts personally.
I’m paying for a few personally
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2023
The Verge reported that James was contacted and offered a complimentary Twitter Blue subscription, and also confirmed he didn’t pay for the blue check.
The Verge has confirmed that an employee at Twitter emailed James, who has previously said he wouldn’t pay for verification, to “extend a complimentary subscription to Twitter Blue for your account, @kingjames, on behalf of Elon Musk.”
We contacted James’ longtime media advisor, Adam Mendelsohn, who confirmed that James hasn’t paid to be verified. However, after we first published this information, Musk said that he’s paying for “a few” subscriptions “personally.”
Another was author Stephen King, who has publicly been anti-Blue and still retains his checkmark.
My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t.
My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.— Stephen King (@StephenKing) April 20, 2023
Rapper and actor Ice T summed up the blue checkmark situation quite well.
https://twitter.com/FINALLEVEL/status/1649155026349170695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1649155026349170695%7Ctwgr%5Eddd08ba14927f78135a90b3b152b5770cca6a303%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2023%2F4%2F20%2F23691831%2Ftwitter-blue-verified-celebrity-lebron-james-stephen-king
What’s even the point of removing all blue checkmarks if some people are just going to get free subscriptions to retain them?
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.