Twitter’s blue check deadline has created a twitter meltdown from some mainstream journalists and celebs after the deadline passed to pay up.
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On Thursday, Bette Midler called Elon Musk a “pathetic douche” while ranting about losing her blue checkmark on Twitter.
douche, is the funniest thing you’ve ever done. Let that sink in. Sorry to hear about your rocket.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) April 21, 2023
“Elon, deciding that I’m not me,” Midler said.
“I’m a fake, & obliging ME, who has contributed mightily to your platform, (at least until you “tweaked the algorithm & tanked my metrics”) to pay monthly,” she said.
“Because you don’t have enough money & you’re humiliated b/c everyone thinks you’re a pathetic douche, is the funniest thing you’ve ever done. Let that sink in. Sorry to hear about your rocket.”
We’ve started a “save-a-celebrity fund” to pay their $8. We take this matter very seriously.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 21, 2023
On Thursday (4/20), Musk’s Twitter policy that required $10/month subscriptions came fully into effect.
The deadline followed a grace period given to accounts that previously had blue checks on Twitter but hadn’t yet signed up to pay $8 US a month.
The development seems to have left not just stars and left-leaning celebs in a fit of rage, but journalists, too.
As a former bluecheck journalist today is a difficult day. Despite my relatively low follower account I’ve been able to share verified information for important conversations. What Elon Musk did, removing blue checks, is no different than what the Nazi party did to journalists.
— Julie Melner (@UsingCigarettes) April 20, 2023
One alleged Journalist, though it appears potential parody, compared Musk’s new Twitter Blue Policy as equal to what Hitler’s Nazi party did to journalists.
Musk also mentioned that he’s personally paying for the NBA’s Lebron James and Author Steven King’s subscriptions so that their profiles keep their blue checks.
King in particular appears shaken by Musk’s gesture.
My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) April 20, 2023
My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.
“My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t.
My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.”
Just Shatner, LeBron and King
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 21, 2023
On top of the new blue check policy, Twitter CEO Elon Musk recently made the platform’s algorithm open source, signaling a major win for free speech enthusiasts.