An Ongoing Series

The current business model appears to be:

1. Remove all verified blue checks
2. Restore verified blue checks to large accounts without asking for permission
3. Viciously mock account holders complaining about being forced to endorse Twitter Blue
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. ???
9. ???
10. Profit

Follow the replies and you’ll find the expected groupings of Russian bots, MAGA chuds, and crypto scammers, all with their own blue checks.

For my part, I received my blue check mostly because of my association with The Diplomat, an organization that employs genuine journalists. As more of an academic/pundit the blue check wasn’t particularly critical to my public presence, although I’ll confess it was nice to have around mostly because there are a couple other Robert Farley’s in the firmament and it was useful to be distinguishable from them. I wouldn’t miss it enough to pay $8 (and it’s certainly not worth $8 to someone like Krugman, who already gets more than enough engagement) even if it didn’t now come with the odor of endorsing Twitter’s current management.

Also, liberals are trying to kill AM radio. Be vigilant!