- Twitter Blue muddles verified status
- Browser extension reveals pay-to-verify
- Elon Musk’s plan backfires
Twitter’s introduction of the paid verification feature through its Twitter Blue subscription has stirred controversy, as users can now obtain the once-coveted blue checkmark for a monthly fee. In response, a new browser extension aims to differentiate between genuinely verified accounts and those who paid $8 for their Twitter Blue status.
Twitter Blue was introduced under the guidance of Elon Musk as a method to combat spam bots and fake accounts on the platform. However, upon its initial launch in November 2021, malicious users exploited the feature to verify parody accounts and spread false information.
To address this issue, Twitter implemented a Know Your Customer (KYC) requirement to limit suspicious account verifications. Despite these efforts, the number of verified accounts on the platform surged, causing confusion and mistrust among users.
A newly developed browser extension, Eight Dollars, seeks to restore clarity to the Twitter landscape. Available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, the extension allows users to discern between genuinely verified accounts and those that simply paid for Twitter Blue.
As the debate continues over the value and meaning of the blue checkmark, Twitter Blue’s initial goal of reducing spam and fake accounts appears to have fallen short. The introduction of the Eight Dollars extension highlights the ongoing struggle to maintain the platform’s integrity amid the proliferation of paid-for verification statuses.
In other news, Binance has announced that, beginning June 2 of this year, Binance Card European users who reside outside of the aforementioned continent and do transactions that do not involve the euro will no longer be able to use their Binance Cards (EUR). Clearly, this only applies to European Binance Card holders.
