Twitter's new paid-for checkmark system has created a Wild West of scamming and parody
- Twitter's new paid-for checkmark system has created a Wild West of scamming and parody.
- Verified accounts have impersonated public figures including LeBron James and George W. Bush.
Elon Musk's move to start charging $8 a month for a blue checkmark has come under fire from celebrities and politicians, while some companies have decided to pause their advertising following a surge of hate speech on the platform.
The new system has also created a Wild West of scamming and parody, with users impersonating public figures from George W. Bush to OJ Simpson, as well as LeBron James and Donald Trump's former lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
In an attempt to appease advertisers, Musk tweeted on Sunday that Twitter would permanently suspend impersonators' accounts that weren't clearly labeled as parodies.
On a call on Twitter Spaces called Elon Q&A: Advertising & the Future on Wednesday, he said deception wouldn't be tolerated but that violators would be temporarily suspended, rather than banned for life.
Many critics feared the new system would lead to the impersonation of prominent figures and risk the further spread of misinformation.
Not the 'Chief Twit'
Comedian Kathy Griffin took it upon herself to prove to the "Chief Twit" that it would be too easy to impersonate others.
She changed her profile name to "Elon Musk" and used a picture of him to mimic his profile. Griffin tweeted: "After much spirited discussion with the females in my life, I've decided that voting blue for their choice is only right (They're also sexy females, btw.)."
Her account was then suspended, as was actor Rich Sommer after he did a similar stunt.
Actress Valerie Bertinelli also impersonated Musk's account and posted tweets urging her followers to vote for Democratic candidates after the billionaire urged "independent-minded voters" to vote for a "Republican Congress" in the midterm elections. Her account wasn't suspended, however.
A Wild West Twitter
More "verified" accounts impersonating high-profile individuals continue to emerge. One in the name of "George W. Bush" was taken down after tweeting "I miss killing Iraqis" and a sad-face emoji.
"Nancy Pelosi and I do not agree on many things, but them thangs thangin I'll tell you what," said another user impersonating Giuliani.
Both accounts were suspended but the ease with which public figures can be impersonated suggests that Twitter will be playing whack-a-mole to have to spend a lot of time tracking them down.
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban told Musk in a tweet that he spent "too much time muting all the newly purchased checkmark accts in an attempt to make my verified mentions useful again. Hope this helps."
A wave of departures
Other famous people have decided to leave the platform even before Musk took control.
TV producer Shonda Rhimes, game-news Twitter user Nibel, singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, and R&B star Toni Braxton are among the celebrities who said they weren't "hanging around."
Insider has reported on how Musk's moves could make even diehard Twitter users reconsider their use of the platform – or even decide to log out for good.