(DailyVantage.com) – Billionaire Twitter CEO Elon Musk removed the New York Times’ blue verification checkmark on April 1 after the newspaper indicated that it would not pay for Twitter Blue.
After it was reported that the New York Times would not be paying for Twitter Blue — the paid service which gives users a blue verification checkmark — Musk announced that he would remove the newspaper’s existing checkmark in response.
While blue verification checkmarks were previously given to notable users and organizations — including celebrities, journalists, and major companies — to prove that they were authentic accounts, Musk announced following his October 2022 purchase of Twitter that the checkmarks would now only be given to paid subscribers. The company announced in March that it would begin to remove existing checkmarks from April 1.
The New York Times was the first major Twitter account to have its checkmark removed as part of Musk’s new policy, however all previously-verified users were warned in recent weeks that they would soon receive the same treatment.
After Musk removed the New York Times’ checkmark, he accused the newspaper of publishing “propaganda” and “the Twitter equivalent of diarrhea.” Musk also claimed that the Times was being hypocritical with its refusal to pay for Twitter Blue, arguing that the newspaper was “super aggressive” when it came to promoting its own subscription model.
Prior to the removal, the New York Times had confirmed to CNN that it would not be paying to keep its blue checkmark, or to keep the checkmarks of its reporters except in “rare circumstances” where verification would be essential to conduct journalism. The Washington Post, the LA Times, CNN, Politico, BuzzFeed, and Vox Media have also confirmed that they will not be paying for Twitter Blue.
Several prominent celebrities have protested Musk’s decision to remove pre-existing checkmarks, including Star Trek actor William Shatner and author Stephen King. On March 31, basketball star LeBron James revealed that he would not be paying to keep his checkmark.
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