The Verified “Blue Check” Isn’t What It Used To Be
Like most things nowadays, the verified blue check on social media isn’t what it used to be. What was once
Victoria Liotta
Like most things nowadays, the verified blue check on social media isn’t what it used to be. What was once a status symbol for famous individuals has become a badge for regular schmegular individuals who are willing to pay a monthly membership fee and/or can simply just verify their identity using their government-issued ID.
If you’re unsure as to what we’re talking about well, keep reading.
Celebs De-Verified on Twitter
RENAISSANCE… pic.twitter.com/b8HYlHD2yU
— BEYONCÉ (@Beyonce) July 29, 2022
Forbes reported that famously recognized names including Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, Beyonce, Bill Gates, and others have l0st their verified blue check on the famous social media site, Twitter. As of Thursday, millions of users including the platform’s founder, Jack Dorsey, were “de-verified.” Why, you ask? Well, it seems as though the requirements for a blue check have changed.
In 2009, Tony La Russa, a former professional baseball manager sued Twitter when someone impersonated him on the platform. This forced Twitter to implement the “blue check” to assure users that what they saw on verified accounts was a valid source.
Over time, the infamous check became associated with the class of elites who used Twitter and later Instagram as well.
Entering a new era with Elon Musk in charge of the birdhouse things are changing and the question is whether or not the blue check will withhold any value going forward.
As of today, getting verified on Twitter is as easy as spending $8 and that’s because that’s all it costs per month to have it.
Scott Steinberg, a brand marketing expert, and social media expert explained, “As with many things on social media, the only ‘street cred’ is what the community at large is willing to assign to it.”
He added, “Twitter has become especially mercantile under Elon Musk, so it is questionable whether the blue check has any value left. However, as we’ve seen since Musk acquired the social media company last fall, things change with each passing week and even each passing day.”
You Get A Blue Check! You Get A Blue Check!
As we mentioned, Instagram is another social media platform that gained the blue check to insure users that the accounts of celebs, and others of high social status, that they were following were the real deal. However, they too have recently changed their requirements for acquiring a little blue badge.
Instagram’s help center page reads, “The meaning of the verified badge has been updated to represent authenticity.”
It continues, “An Instagram account with a verified badge 
next to its name now means that Instagram has confirmed that it is the authentic presence for that person or brand. Previously, the verified badge also required the person or brand to be notable and unique. You may still see users with a verified badge that represents our previous eligibility requirements.”
“The verified badge is a tool to help people find the real accounts of people and brands. If an account has the verified badge, we’ve confirmed that it represents who it says it does. A verified badge is not a symbol to show importance, authority or subject matter expertise. We don’t use the verified badge to endorse or recognize public figures or brands.”
So, all in all, if you see a blue next to the name of your significant other’s ex during your weekly stalk or on your sibling’s page when you tag them in a photo, don’t be alarmed. The blue check is just not what it used to be.