Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, has stripped the New York Times of its verification badge, following the newspaper’s objection to the newly-introduced mandatory $1,000 monthly subscription payment to retain their badge.
The New York Times, a widely known American newspaper with a vast network of correspondents across the globe, had been enjoying their verification badge without charge for years.
However, they were unhappy with the new fee, which led to a swift response from Musk, who not only removed their badge but also criticized the newspaper.
In one of his tweets on Sunday morning, Musk stated, “The real tragedy of @NYTimes is that their propaganda isn’t even interesting.” He also added that their Twitter feed is equivalent to diarrhea and unreadable.
Since Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022, he has introduced significant changes to the platform, including making it mandatory for organizations to pay a monthly fee of $1,000 to keep their verification badges, with an additional charge of $50 for affiliated staff members. This move was one that The Times openly opposed.
The newspaper made it clear that they would not reimburse reporters who subscribe to Twitter Blue, except in rare cases where the status would be essential for reporting purposes. As a result, the main Twitter account for The Times no longer has the blue tick, according to Peoples Gazette’s recent check on Sunday.
It is worth noting that the removal of verification badges from popular organizations could make it easier for impostors to impersonate legitimate accounts.
Major news outlets such as CNN, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times have also taken a similar stance and are refusing to pay the fee, which may result in them losing their verification badges.
