Among the big names who have confirmed their phone number and paid $8 to have a blue checkmark on their Twitter account, at least according to Twitter, are Anthony Bourdain, Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, Mac Miller, and Jamal Khashoggi. As the Hill notes, that's a little confusing considering that none of them are alive. But it's just one aspect of Elon Musk's new blue-check strategy making unwanted headlines for Twitter. Coverage:
- Last week, Elon Musk changed the rules on the blue checkmarks, which were once reliable guides to verify that accounts were legit. They used to be free, but now anyone who pays $8 for a "Twitter Blue" subscription and verifies a phone number can get one. Here's how Axios frames it: "Internet verification used to be a badge of honor. Now that it's achievable to anyone who is willing to buy it, it's become a signal of desperation."