On Tuesday, Musk said that he would do away with the verification process. He said he would make it available to everyone for $8 a month. Those users would get a verification badge, have their tweets prioritized in replies, mentions, and searches, and see less ads.
Verification wasn't supposed to be a free-for-all. It was supposed to help you decide who to trust and who to ignore. The verification system has been used to manage misinformation. The only thing you will know is that someone has a lot of money.
What does life look like after the demise of a legit verification system? Who will be the most affected by Musk's madness?
The blue checkmark that is now shorthand for clout and status was not intended to be used that way. In 2009, celebrities and organizations started to complain about fake accounts. This created a PR problem for high-profile people who are worried about their reputation. Misinformation could be spread.
Which celebrities were making noise? I thought you wouldn't ask. There was only one other other than Yeezus West. He has been a loose cannon. In his all-caps phase, West spoke of his grievances. He wrote that he didn't have a "FUCKING TWITTER" at the time. Back then, he said he didn't have time to follow people on the social networking site.
Other high-profile figures were not happy as well. Tony La Russa was the manager of the Major League baseball team. Biz Stone said in the announcement that public officials, public agencies, famous artists, athletes, and other well known individuals at risk of being impersonated would be able to use the new version of the verification service. The blue check mark was born.
The verified account has been a source of controversy. The verification process was open for anyone to use. This unlocked a lot of things.
The blue checkmark became an ego-affirming status symbol that separated the haves from the have- nots. It was criticized for being classist and promoting the idea that verified accounts were more important than fake ones.
It made the platform more politicized. Conservatives accused the social media company of bias and prioritized liberal accounts over conservative ones. Milos Yiannopoulos lost his checkmark after he was banned from the platform. "blue checks" or "verifieds" had become shorthand for the liberals among conservatives.
In 2020 the verification process was brought back after a clarification of the policy that included public feedback.
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The damage was done and it wasn't spared. Musk wants to charge people to verify their account in order to eliminate the current lords and peasants system. The sale of indulgences didn't end well for the catholic church.
It works as described when verification is used to decrease the risk of impersonation. The blue check can be better used to hold public figures accountable. Is the system working well? It is not possible to say yes. Sometimes verified accounts give a platform to hate speech. In general, verification gives structure to acesspool.
Journalists need the blue check to find sources and share news. In order to find and speak with sources, I usually use social media. The little blue icon helps to surface my messages. I didn't want to go back after struggling with this approach for many years. Verification will become less useful if it is open to everyone.
Some of the original users of a free service are going to be excluded. Many will refuse to pay. Others are unable to pay. Musk's plan for verification is a bigger blow to people of color than any other users. Writers and other public figures of color who have historically made less money than their write counterparts will be excluded from verification.
Verification has been an important tool for journalists of color to have their work seen and appreciated in an industry that often affords more opportunities to writers with status from larger publications. You could argue that marginalized writers can now find legitimacy if they purchase verification, but you would be wrong. People of color can't get into positions of power because of buying legitimacy.
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Within the first 24 hours of Musk's tenure, there was a 300 percent increase in hate speech on the site. Hate speech is given a voice and an audience it didn't have before when someone pays to have their opinions prioritized and promoted.
Paying for verification makes blue checks worthless. There is value in scarcity. Blue checks lose their power if they are ubiquitous.
Don't be fooled by Musk's claim that you won't be paying for recognition or clout. You will be spending a lot of money to help Musk get back on his feet, and you will make the platform even worse.
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