Twitter recently removed the coveted verified blue ticks from the profiles of notable figures, however, a developer with a proven track record revealed that so far, less than 5% of legacy verified accounts have paid to join Twitter Blue.

What Happened? Berlin-based software developer, Travis Brown, revealed that after Twitter ended its legacy verification program last week, only about 4.8% of legacy verified accounts were signed up for Twitter Blue.

On Thursday, April 20, Twitter removed the legacy blue check from several high-profile celebrity profiles such as Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Virat Kohli.

After receiving much uproar, the company reinstated these checks on Saturday. However, it did not make it clear if these accounts had paid for it. Nonetheless, there are reports indicating that the company is restoring the blue tick for accounts that have over a million followers.

See also: Elon Musk Says ‘Namaste’ To Stephen King As Legendary Author Is Left Confused With Twitter Blue

Twitter also seemingly reinstated the blue tick for accounts that belong to popular deceased figures like actor of Fast and Furious fame Paul Walker, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who died in 2018, and the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who also passed in 2018.

The microblogging platform introduced its subscription service, Twitter Blue, in December 2022, which provided users with a verified blue checkmark and a range of additional features for $8 (₹659) per month. The service became available in India on February 8, with a monthly web subscription fee of ₹650 and a mobile subscription fee of ₹900.

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