April 25, 2023

Twitter has been questioned for bestowing posthumous blue verification badges on deceased celebrities. Among those who received the badges were Kobe Bryant, Anthony Bourdain, Chadwick Boseman, Michael Jackson, and Norm Macdonald. According to their Twitter profiles, these celebrities had subscribed to Twitter Blue and confirmed their phone numbers.

Twitter first provided the blue verification badges as a free tool to authenticate the identity of individuals who were at danger of being impersonated, such as politicians, journalists, and celebrities. However, Twitter has recently begun to display the badges solely on the accounts of users who have paid for the subscription service, causing controversy and confusion.

Twitter’s decision to launch a new subscription service dubbed Twitter Blue drew tremendous criticism, with many describing the rollout as chaotic and inept. Experts in the media have expressed astonishment at the transition’s poor implementation, which has resulted in the removal of the platform’s signature blue checkmarks.

The issue involving the posthumous awarding of blue verification badges to celebrity accounts has prompted concerns about the checkmark system’s consistency. Critics argue that the shift has failed to restore the significance that the blue check formerly possessed, especially because the badge now represents a membership to Twitter Blue rather than just certifying the identity of the account owner.

The sources for this piece include an article in BusinessInsider.