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Twitter yesterday blocked new accounts created on or after November 9, 2022, from getting a Twitter Blue subscription. It appears the whole service is now gone. The option to sign up for the $8-a-month subscription service no longer exists on the Twitter app.
Launched earlier this week, the revamped Twitter Blue was only available on the iOS app. But the option has gone missing today. Even for those who still have the button, tapping it results in an error. “Thank you for your interest! Twitter Blue will be available in your country in the future. Please check back later,” the error message reads (via) Noted app researched Jane Manchun Wong confirmed that Twitter has officially withdrawn the feature.
“Checked with Twitter’s API and the in-app purchase for Twitter Blue Verified is no longer listed for production,” Wong tweeted. Several other users reported the missing feature. Some also say they lost the checkmark on their account as a result of this.
Twitter withdraws revamped Blue service within days of launch
Twitter Blue is a paid subscription that gives users access to exclusive features on the platform. The service previously cost $5 per month and offered features like custom app icons, a customizable navigation bar, undo tweets, and more. Following the sale of the social network to Elon Musk, the new owner revamped the service to add the verification checkmark, often referred to as the “blue tick,” to it. He also increased the price to $8 per month.
The new Twitter Blue officially debuted on Wednesday. But what followed next wasn’t something the company was prepared for. A plethora of fake accounts featuring the blue tick hit the platform. Since the checkmark was previously only available to verified accounts, it was a sign of genuineness on Twitter. But now, anyone could purchase it for $8. And that’s what many did — created a new account in the name of a famous personality or brand and subscribed to Twitter Blue to get the checkmark.
Accounts impersonating the likes of LeBron James, Donald Trump, Nintendo of America, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and many more big names popped up on Twitter, posting fake news, misinformation, or derogatory comments. It all got so chaotic that the company blocked Blue access for new accounts and started suspending fake accounts. But it wasn’t the end of problems, it seems. Twitter had to entirely withdraw Blue just a couple of days after launch.
Elon Musk did announce new moderation policies to tackle these kinds of issues. But it appears those changes weren’t ready. Perhaps Musk hurried the launch of the revamped Twitter Blue to generate more revenue without realizing the potential dangers of selling the checkmark. Or maybe the system itself collapsed due to a sudden surge in subscriptions. Twitter has already fired about half its workforce. So there are fewer people taking care of system issues. Hopefully, the platform will get out of this mess soon.
