Elon Musk Confronted Live During Twitter Call Over Verified Snafu: ‘The Checkmark Used to Stand for Something!’

Twitter “Chief Twit” Elon Musk was confronted live by a customer who was unhappy with the changes to the verified user program, noting, “The checkmark used to stand for something!”

The embattled CEO participated in a “Twitter Spaces” convened by Vice President of US Twitter Client Solutions Robin Wheeler to reassure advertisers and other partners spooked by the seemingly hourly and minutely tumult that has engulfed the platform since Musk took over. “Twitter Spaces” is like a conference call, but for fun.

Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) President David Cohen also moderated, and asked questions on behalf of users that included one who was not very happy about the new Blue Check process.

A momentarily taken-aback Musk had little to offer in the way of reassurance, but lots in the way of fractured metaphors in a halting response that ended with Musk admitting to his advertisers “maybe this is a dumb decision”:

DAVID COHEN: Yeah, I got another one. I’m pretty sure I’m going to ask all these questions, so it’ll be the last time I’m invited onto a Spaces. But here goes nothing. “The checkmark used to stand for something. Now anyone that pays $8 a month can get the checkmark.” What’s the — what’s the process by which accounts are verified in, in this new world?

ELON MUSK: Well, it is a, um, it — it, it… I mean, so — someone has to have a phone and a credit card, and $8 a month. So that — that’s the bar. However, we will actively suspend accounts engaged in deception or trickery of any kind. So it is a leveling of the playing field here. The, it will be less special, obviously, to have a a checkmark. But I think this is a good thing. So. But if somebody, if it like I said, if there’s impersonation, trickery, deception, we will actively be suspending accounts. So. I think it’s going to be a good world. I mean, you know, don’t, don’t, don’t we believe in, you know, one person, one vote? I think we do. You know, so. I actually just don’t, I don’t like the Lords and peasants situation where some people have blue checkmarks and, and some don’t. And this is, you know, at least the United States. We fought a war to get rid of that stuff. So anyway, this is just philosophically how I feel and maybe this is a dumb decision, but we’ll see.

ROBIN WHEELER: David, were you going to follow up? And I ask if brands have to pay because that’s — well, I mean.

DAVID COHEN: That was that was one or I mean, obviously, this is a double edged sword. It’s not it’s not clearly black or white. There’s clearly another, another side to the equation. And, Elon, as you said, you’re going to try it. And if it doesn’t work, then you’ll quickly pivot. I think that’s a I think that’s a smart approach.

Listen above via Twitter Spaces.

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