Seemingly gone are the days on Twitter when a blue checkmark generally meant you're legit.
Before Tesla's Elon Musk bought the platform in October 2022, the site only awarded the verification badge to users who could prove their identity through an application process. But, after an announcement that anyone could simply purchase the label for a monthly subscription of $8, people created numerous impersonation accounts for celebrities, politicians, and companies. The trolls even went for Musk himself.
Here's a running list, which we'll update if, or when, the social media trend continues. (As of the afternoon of Nov. 11, the service for seeking such a status in exchange for payment was unavailable, The Associated Press reported.)
