Twitter CEO Elon Musk has faced criticism from liberal celebrities and journalists for his recent decision to restore blue check marks to several Twitter accounts without requiring payment for verification.
This move came after Twitter launched a new policy requiring users to pay $8 monthly to maintain their verified status. Musk had begun restoring the badges to accounts with over one million followers over the weekend, claiming he was "personally paying" for some to retain their verified status.
While some welcomed this move, it was seen by many on the left as a sign of support for Musk's overhaul of Twitter. Several liberal celebrities and media personalities who had lost their verified status took to Twitter to express their frustration with the new policy.
Actor Ron Perlman wrote, "Just for the record, I have not subscribed to Twitter, blue, nor will I ever. Dear Elon: Creepy people do creepy things."
Bette Midler, who had also complained about losing her blue check, grumbled, "Yes, Elon gave me back my blue check but I didn't pay for it. Does that make me a good guy or a bad guy? I'm so confused."
Meanwhile, Ian McKellen announced that he was unhappy about restoring his blue check, despite the implication that he had paid for it.
Media commentators were also upset to see their accounts verified again. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, liberal podcast host Kara Swisher, and MSNBC executive producer Kyle Griffin wanted their followers to know they had "nothing to do" with returning their check marks.
Swisher was furious about the gesture, which she claimed was given "without [her] consent." MSNBC's Griffin also expressed his displeasure, stating that he "would never" subscribe to Twitter Blue.
Musk's takeover of Twitter caused controversy, with some celebrities and journalists receiving blue checks to prove they were real people before the new pay-to-play policy was introduced.
Some have seen Musk's decision to restore some verified accounts as a sign of his support for the platform's new policy. However, for many on the left, not having a blue check mark next to their Twitter profile had become a sign of their resistance to Musk and his overhaul of Twitter.
In response to the criticism, Musk defended his decision, stating that he wanted to "make sure that accounts with high follower counts are authentic, which is why we have a verification program."
He added that he paid for some accounts to retain their verified status because he felt they were "important to the conversation." Musk's statements may clarify his motives for restoring the blue check marks, but they have not assuaged his critics' concerns.
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