Twitter verified changes: Millions of users to lose blue tick from April 1 - latest update

The latest Twitter update will see millions of verified users lose their blue tick from April 1. However, some Twitter users speculated it could be an April Fool’s joke from platform owner Elon Musk.

The changes to the social media platform will see legacy verified accounts start to lose their blue badges. Legacy verified accounts were first rolled out when Musk introduced Twitter Blue, a paid-for subscription service.

Twitter Blue was announced on Monday, December 12, 2022, and the subscription service means users will have to pay to keep their blue badge. Twitter users who used the previous system to receive verification are now known as legacy verified accounts.

While some users thought the rollout could be an April Fool’s prank, the rollout has been confirmed on Twitter’s Help Centre. The official statement read: “Starting April 1, we’ll be winding down our legacy Verification program and accounts that were verified under the previous criteria (active, notable, and authentic) will not retain a blue checkmark unless they are subscribed to Twitter Blue.

“Subscribers will need to meet our eligibility criteria below to receive or retain the blue checkmark.”

How do I know if my Twitter account is legacy verified?

To check if your Twitter account is verified through the legacy programme, Twitter users used to be able to click on their blue checkmark. If your account was legacy verified, the following disclaimer used to appear: “This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable.”

Loss of the blue checkmark is assessed on a case-by-case basis and is not an automatic decision, according to the Twitter website. A tweet from the Twitter Verified account reads: “On April 1, we will begin winding down our legacy verified program and removing legacy verified checkmarks.

“To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue here. Organisations can sign up for Verified Organisations here.”

Verified account changes - the latest

The latest change to Twitter verified accounts means that users won’t know the difference between a legacy or Twitter Blue-subscribed account. If you click on your blue tick now, the disclaimer that appears reads: “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account.”

Twitter Blue cost UK

Legacy Twitter users who want to maintain their blue checkmark will have to subscribe to Twitter Blue. Twitter Blue subscriptions are paid on a monthly or annual basis starting at £9.60 a month.

Twitter Blue subscribers will have to meet certain criteria to receive the blue checkmark. This includes having a complete profile, being an active user and being a secure account.

Legacy