Twitter famous comedian @dril, a satirical persona created by Paul Dochney, duked it out with the platform after he initiated a campaign that encouraged his followers to “Block the Blue” in protest of Twitter CEO Elon Musk’s new verification system, Twitter Blue. Musk quickly initiated many changes with his takeover of the company, including instating a paid monthly subscription of $8 for blue checkmark privileges. In a remarkable show of pettiness, Twitter promptly responded to the comedian’s criticism by bestowing a verification badge on dril’s account despite him not having a subscription to Twitter Blue.
The coveted blue checkmark once symbolized influence for celebrities, organizations, and politicians alike. It is now accessible to anyone who believes that $8 out of their monthly paycheck should go to an arbitrary marker of status. Musk let it be known that “legacy verified” users would eventually lose their status unless they paid for Twitter Blue. Users of Twitter Blue will find that they can’t change their profile photo, display name, or username without being stripped of their verification status. This is how dril fought Twitter using its own policy. The Twitter comedian altered his account display name to remove the blue checkmark, and the social media platform responded by reinstating his verification status multiple times purely out of spite.
Forbe’s infamous second-most-rich billionaire Elon Musk has long been in the public eye due to his multiple problematic eccentricities. The business tycoon has invested in space exploration and automobiles with his businesses SpaceX and Tesla. Musk garnered more attention and admiration from techie bros and devoted followers that heralded from the deep cesspools of Reddit & Twitter. For others, the billionaire floated into our awareness like a gnat when he appeared at the Met Gala in 2018 on the arm of Canadian singer Grimes. As far as this author is concerned, Musk’s most significant accomplishment is being Grime’s baby daddy.
In October of 2022, Musk happened to develop his latest fixation on acquiring social media company Twitter, Inc. for $44 billion. Under the world’s second-richest man’s leadership, the social media platform has seen a notable increase in hate speech, in part due to the removal of content moderation policies and staff. In the hours after Musk’s takeover evidence shows a nearly 500% increase in use of the N-word. Other notable changes that have drawn criticism include Musk’s mass firings, ableism, and the suspension of accounts that opposed Musk’s agenda. Individuals that were previously suspended, such as Trump, found their accounts promptly restored under his rule.
Elon Musk’s policies and vision for Twitter compromise the app as a communication and free speech-based social media platform. Musk using his business as a tool to provoke one of his critics has attracted attention from experts for its potential illegality. By giving dril a checkmark he did not pay for, Musk has technically committed false endorsement. False endorsement constitutes as a violation of the rules set up by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a government organization designed to protect consumers from “deceptive or unfair business practices.”
The Twitter comedian is not the only victim of unwilling verification. Many “legacy verified” Twitter celebrities have found their checkmarks given back to them despite not subscribing to Twitter Blue. These celebrities have given statements clarifying that they do not support Twitter Blue or Elon Musk’s intentions with the app. It was observed that dead celebrities and politicians were also not free from the Twitter Blue checkmark.
The daughter of one passed British fantasy author Terry Pratchett clarified:
“Musk’s notion of free speech is a broad course correction that involves amplifying and advancing the interests of right-wing reactionaries while trolling the left.”
Charlie Warzel, “Elon Musk Is a Far-Right Activist,” The Atlantic
While Musk fanboys may excuse his behavior due to success in the technology and scientific field, his recent actions deserve to be questioned. The notable increase of transphobia, antisemitism, and racism in Western media, including Twitter, is no coincidence when you examine Musk’s political actions. The businessman’s political views have varied over time, with him supporting Democratic Presidential candidates like Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton and even Kanye West’s independent run. Recently, though, Musk’s support has been leaning toward the right. In May 2022, he declared would no longer support the Democrat Party and pledged his allegiance to the controversial Republican Governor of Florida. Musk’s version of free speech and content moderation functions on a simple system that depends on not offending the billionaire. The Republican politicians have loved Musk’s direction for Twitter since his changing policies have opened the doors for hateful content and misinformation to thrive.