These badges were initially awarded by the company’s previous leadership to distinguish high-profile users and public organizations. While Twitter had previously announced that the system would be phased out on April 1, nothing happened until CEO Elon Musk announced a new end date of April 20.
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Though some congressional representatives still had the gray government check mark on their official accounts, others, such as Ayanna Pressley, Brian Mast, and Ilhan Omar, lost verification on their personal accounts. However, certain politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene retained their blue check marks on personal accounts.
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As the removal process was underway on Thursday, some users reported confusing glitches that caused their blue check marks to disappear, reappear, and then vanish once again. Nevertheless, most users who lost their verification badges seemed prepared to bid them farewell.
This modification has led to some confusion, especially since certain verified accounts from the past still maintain their checkmarks. As a result, a few high-profile figures, such as author Stephen King, have taken to Twitter to assert that they did not resort to purchasing the verification badge.
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This revelation has left many pondering the significance of verified accounts and how they are granted. While Twitter has yet to comment on the matter, it is clear that the discussion surrounding the blue checkmark will continue to generate interest and speculation.