Elon Musk fulfilled a rare promise by removing the blue checkmark from all Twitter accounts that were not subscribed to the $8 per month Twitter Blue service.
This move came after Musk expressed his dissatisfaction with Twitter’s old verification system and his intention to remove checkmarks from “legacy verified” users.
While around 630,000 users have subscribed to Twitter Blue, a campaign called “Block the Blue” has emerged, which encourages users to block any account with a paid blue checkmark.
The campaign is in full swing, with influential Twitter users like @dril, a legend of the “Weird Twitter” subculture, actively participating in it. @dril has also urged others to join the protest movement and block all Twitter Blue subscribers.
The campaign has a dedicated Twitter account, @BlockTheBlue, run by the creator of The Block List. Many users who support the campaign claim that Twitter Blue subscribers often create low-quality content, and some are white supremacists or spreading disinformation.
Some celebrities have announced they are leaving the platform or considering doing so since the removal of checkmarks, while @dril and others are hopeful that Twitter will eventually shut down.