ISLAMABAD: Twitter began removing blue tick verifications from notable Pakistani users, including politicians, journalists, and celebrities, on Thursday.
This move by the social media giant is a part of Elon Musk’s plan to get rid of what Musk described as a “lords and peasants system.” Musk had earlier pledged to sell the blue badge for $8 a month to democratize journalism and empower the voice of the people.
Accounts that lost their blue tick verifications included former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, singer and actor Ali Zafar, cricket captain Babar Azam, cricketer-turned-commentator Wasim Akram, and actress Mahira Khan.
Although Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan lost his blue tick verification, his party’s official Twitter handle retained it by paying the required fee. On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Twitter handle was verified with a grey tick because it is a “multilateral organisation or government account.”
The move was not limited to Pakistani celebrities alone, as Twitter removed blue tick verification from politicians and official bodies. The Prime Minister’s Office handle was also among the casualties.
Twitter under pressure to combat misinformation
This is not the first time Twitter has removed blue tick verification from high-profile accounts. However, the previous attempts were not as effective as this one. The social media giant has been under pressure to take action against misinformation and hateful content on its platform.
Many users took to Twitter to express their disappointment with the removal of their blue tick verification. The move has left many wondering about the future of verification on Twitter and the impact it will have on their online presence.
The move by Twitter has sparked a debate on the democratization of journalism and the role of social media in providing a platform for voices to be heard. It remains to be seen how this will play out in the coming months and whether Twitter will continue to remove blue tick verification from other high-profile accounts.
