Once a status symbol illustrating one’s notoriety and fame, the blue checkmark on Twitter has now transformed into a sign that the person financially supports not one, but two wannabe oligarchs who claim wealth and brilliance but rely on the payments by working-class Americans to continue their endeavors.
Now, however, according to the Verge, Elon Musk has recognized the shame heaped on the customers who pay the $8 per month fee to Musk for a handful of additional features, so he’s made the display of the once-prized icon from their user profiles.
In marketing, you typically want to broadcast how many people buy your product; it shows market penetration and promotes the FOMO of buyers to induce them to buy. Not on Twitter: Musk is now acknowledging the shame his customers should feel for supporting his destruction of a once-respected brand.