This does not appear to be an April Fools’ joke. If you want a blue checkmark after April 1, you’ll need to pay $8 per month ($1,000 if you’re an organization).
No joke: On April 1, Twitter will start removing blue checkmarks from legacy verified users.
To retain the blue check, individuals must sign up for Twitter Blue, an $8-per-month subscription service ($11 on iOS) that lets folks write longer tweets, edit posts, upload 1080p video, access dedicated customer support, and more.
Twitter verification launched in 2009 to distinguish genuine, notable account holders—celebrities, organizations, etc.—from impersonators. Until November 2022, a blue checkmark indicated an account was actually owned by the entity it claimed to represent.
Since Elon Musk took over the platform, though, things have become more complicated.
