Days after the announcement, Twitter started removing blue tick marks from the accounts of those who did not pay the required amount to retain the sign.
Twitter began the mass removal of its blue ticks, as the symbol previously used to signify a verified account vanished from notable users including Imran Khan, Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and others. Owner Elon Musk, who has seen his $44 billion investment in the site shrivel, earlier pledged to get rid of what he described as a “lords and peasants system”. He offered instead to sell the blue badge to anyone who would pay $8 a month, in a move he said last year would “democratise journalism and empower the voice of the people”.
Earlier dates set for the rollback of the ticks — predominately used by celebrities, journalists and politicians — have slipped by without noticeable action. But on Thursday high-profile accounts and others, appeared to have had the checkmarks removed. Politicians and official bodies also appeared to have been hit with Prime Minister’s Office handle also being one of the casualties.
