On Thursday evening, billionaire Elon Musk revealed that he is covering the cost of Twitter Blue subscriptions for a select group of high-profile individuals who have refused to pay the monthly fee of $8. Among the beneficiaries of Musk’s generosity are NBA star LeBron James, Canadian actor William Shatner, and author Stephen King. Musk took to Twitter to announce the news.
King had previously spoken out against the idea of paying for a blue checkmark verification on Twitter. However, despite his reluctance to pay for the service, King’s Twitter account indicated that he had subscribed to Twitter Blue and provided a phone number for verification. In response to King’s tweet denying any payment, Musk replied with the message, “You’re welcome namaste,” indicating that he had covered the cost of King’s Twitter Blue subscription.
Musk’s decision to personally pay for the subscriptions of these well-known figures has sparked a discussion around the value of Twitter Blue and the willingness of people to pay for social media services. It also highlights the influence and generosity of a billionaire like Musk who is able to provide financial support to those who may not be able to afford certain luxuries.
Twitter recently implemented its plan to revoke legacy verification badges from users who do not subscribe to its $8-per-month service. However, according to a report by The Verge’s Alex Heath and Jay Peters, some celebrities were given complimentary subscriptions to Twitter Blue, including the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James. Twitter reportedly sent James an email offering free verification “on behalf of Elon Musk.”
Adam Mendelsohn, who serves as James’ media advisor, confirmed that the basketball star did not pay for the subscription, as reported by The Verge. This revelation comes after James tweeted earlier this month that he was not willing to pay $5 for verification.
Twitter’s decision to revoke legacy verification badges has been met with mixed reactions. While some users support the move, others have criticized the social media platform for introducing a paid service that many feel should be free. The news that celebrities like James received free subscriptions to Twitter Blue has also sparked a conversation around the influence of wealthy individuals like Elon Musk and their ability to provide financial assistance to others.
According to a report by Zoë Schiffer of Platformer, LeBron James was one of the 35 “VIP users” whose Twitter accounts were given increased visibility by the platform in March.
Meanwhile, William Shatner took a direct shot at Elon Musk in March after the latter removed blue checkmarks from free users. Shatner took to Twitter to express his frustration, asking why he should have to pay for something that was once given to him for free.
Rapper Ice T has also managed to keep his blue checkmark on Twitter without paying for the service. On Thursday, he tweeted that he expects it to disappear soon, but seemed unfazed by the possibility. In response to Stephen King’s announcement that he never paid for Twitter Blue, Ice T tweeted, “Don’t believe the hype.”
Elon Musk responded to the discussion about celebrities receiving free Twitter Blue verification by stating that he is personally paying for a few individuals to maintain their subscriptions.
Several high-profile individuals in various industries, including Halle Berry, Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Colbert, J.K. Rowling, and 50 Cent, have lost their Twitter verification badges. Even the popular South Korean KPop supergroup BTS has also been stripped of its blue checkmark.
When the crew over at Insider reached out to Twitter for comment outside of regular business hours, the company did not immediately respond. Instead, Instead, an automated message was sent in response to Insider’s queries, which they said did not address the questions asked.
