Elon Musk, Twitter’s increasingly erratic CEO has Tweeted that legacy blue ticks will now be removed by April 20, after previously announcing that the program would be phased out from April 1st.
This isn’t the first time the serial Chief Executive has made public references to the cannabis code name, with Musk previously getting in trouble with authorities for jesting about privatizing Tesla at $420 a share.
But it’s not all fun and games at Twitter HQ, with Musk recently telling the BBC that his tenure at the company has been “an emotional rollercoaster” before expressing regret over some of his controversial 3 am Tweets.
Twitter Set to Phase Out Legacy Blue Tick Program from 4/20.
Twitter’s current owner, Elon Musk, has pushed back the date for removing legacy verification checks to 420, according to a Tweet the world’s second-richest man fired off yesterday.
Final date for removing legacy Blue checks is 4/20
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 11, 2023
This goes against Twitter’s previous claim that they would be winding down the legacy verification program from April Fool’s Day at the beginning of this month.
What does this mean for Twitter users that have previously earned their blue ticks for being notable or authentic public figures? Well, Musk’s backtrack means they’re able to enjoy their free verification until April 20, but will need to pay up for the platform’s ‘Twitter Blue’ service to retain the blue tick after this date.
Despite the program being incredibly unpopular, and already being met with resistance in India, the decision to charge for blue checks is a clear attempt to generate revenue from its user base. But why April 20?
Elon Musk’s fixation with marijuana isn’t exactly a well-kept secret. The serial CEO previously sparked controversy after smoking weed during a Joe Rogan podcast. He also faced a securities fraud trial earlier this year after proposing that Tesla’s share price should be $420 — an outcome that Musk argued was a pure coincidence.
Musk Admits That Owning Twitter Has Been “Quite Painful”
Since Musk officially took the helm at Twitter HQ, the site’s reputation has been going up in smoke.
However, despite the financial hardship and numerous PR casualties, Twitter has been facing, Elon Musk recently told the BBC that the company was “roughly break-even” and was even expecting to trend positively in a matter of months as advisers were returning to the site.
“I feel like we’re headed to a good place. We’re roughly break-even, I think we’re trending towards being cashflow positive very soon, literally in a matter of months.”
The CEO also commented on the impact of running the company has had on his mental health. Musk claimed that since entering the role six months ago, the “pain level has been extremely high”, and “it’s been quite a rollercoaster”.
He also admitted that he’s shot himself in the foot multiple times by sending out controversial tweets without thinking, before adding “I think I should not tweet after 3 am.”
While Musk’s optimism about the future of the company is encouraging, whether the company will be able to become profitable again remains uncertain. What’s more, as the platform’s once-loyal users continue to jump ship, we’re hoping his dedication to removing legacy ticks won’t be another decision he’ll live to regret.
