Twitter sparks controversy after adding blue checks to dead celebrities account

Share post:

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.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Related articles

Meta Starts Federal Antitrust Trial That Could Lead To A Breakup of the Company

The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) antitrust trial against Meta Platforms Inc. commenced on April 14, 2025, in Washington,...

Trump Grants 75-Day Extension for TikTok Amid Trade Tensions

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest...

HP Settles Lawsuit Over Blocking Third-Party Ink With Printer Updates

HP has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of disabling printers that used third-party ink...

Gen Z’s Love-Hate Relationship with Social Media Revealed in New Survey

A recent survey has uncovered a surprising trend among Gen Z adults: nearly half wish that popular social...

Become a member

New, Relevant Tech Stories. Our article selection is done by industry professionals. Our writers summarize them to give you the key takeaways