Twitter’s Blue Tick Mystery: How did dead celebs like Sushant Singh Rajput, and Michael Jackson ‘pay’ for the label?

The saga of Twitter’s blue tick continues. Save for a few verified accounts, most lost the checkmark last week. It was all part of CEO Elon Musk’s plan to revamp the social media platform and boost revenues – blue ticks are to be earned, literally. From celebrities to influencers, all Twitter personalities are now expected to pay for them. But come Sunday, many got the verification mark back, without shelling out the fee – starting at $8 a month. After the surprise came the shocker. Several known names, who have been dead for years, have profiles with the tick.

The confusion prevails. No one really knows what’s going on or who paid for them. We take a look at the brouhaha over the coloured verification.

The blue tick fiasco

One of the first changes Elon Musk introduced after he took over Twitter in October last year was introducing Twitter Blue, a paid service for the tick. Last Thursday, the microblogging site launched a cull that stipped several famous names off the verified status – from Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, from sporting greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Ronaldo to legendary musicians like Paul McCartney and Beyoncé.

The handful who retained their ticks were writer Stephen King, actor William Shatner and the basketball star LeBron James. They didn’t subscribe to Twitter Blue but Elon Musk paid for the service.

The return of the tick

But now several others have got the verification badge back. But did Musk pay for it or did they subscribe?

Only a tiny fraction of blue-ticked users subscribed, less than five per cent of the 407,000 profiles affected, according to Travis Brown, a Berlin-based software developer who tracks social-media platforms.

Those to have gotten back the tick without having paid include the news agency AFP, American rapper Lil Nas X, and several other politicians and personalities. Many claimed that they have not subscribed to Twitter Blue.

American rapper Lil Nas X, whose profile displays the blue tick, tweeted, “on my soul i didn’t pay for twitter blue, u will feel my wrath tesla man!”

Fantasy author Neil Gaiman also said that he has not paid up. “For the curious, I’m not subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t given anyone my phone number.” (That’s what a Twitter Blue service demands.)

For the curious, I’m not subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t given anyone my phone number. What a sad, muddled place this has become. pic.twitter.com/Ju125xyoUx

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) April 23, 2023

British actor Ian McKellen said he isn’t “paying for the ‘honor’”. Even the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, which also received the blue mark, sought to clarify that it has “never subscribed and paid” for the service, according to a report on Bloomberg.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was also surprised to get back the tick. He joked, “Apparently I’ve paid for Twitter Blue & given them a phone number to verify except that I haven’t. Mr Musk are you paying for mine as well?”

Apparently I’ve paid for Twitter Blue & given them a phone number to verify except that I haven’t. Mr Musk are you paying for mine as well?