Numerous Twitter accounts had their verified status revoked recently by Elon Musk, with the exception of those who had paid for Twitter Blue, his paid verification service. While this action has successfully eliminated some well-known figures, what is left appears to be a collection of people who are among the worst offenders on the platform. According to studies, "misinformation superspreaders" are among the recently verified accounts, and the roll-out has been accompanied by a sharp rise in hate speech.


Anecdotal data suggests that Twitter Blue subscribers are among the worst offenders on the site. This shouldn't come as a surprise considering that most people who opt to subscribe are either fans of Elon Musk or wannabe influencers who couldn't previously achieve a legitimate verification status. It is comparable to the case where someone buys their favourite football team and replaces the players with a squad from a nearby pub with a vicious Alsatian dog.

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Celebrities increasingly use the "blue tick" brand, which represents a verified account on Twitter, as a negative status symbol. People who have received verification thanks to Elon Musk's influence are eager to disassociate themselves from any suggestion that they paid for the privilege. Paying for Twitter verification has come to be ridiculed, with individuals who do so being written off as unworthy of real discussion or involvement.


This change has the benefit of making it simpler to spot unfavourable Twitter users, who may therefore be blocked right away and kept from posting their opinions in your feed. Users of Twitter are planning "Block Parties" to commemorate mass blocking occasions, sharing posts from verified accounts with high engagement rates, and using search terms to find and remove the most offensive content (such as "go woke go broke" or "#AllLivesMatter" followed by "filter:blue_verified"). Unwanted individuals can now be quickly discovered and stopped thanks to the new algorithm, which gives verified accounts priority. Once blocked, they are less likely to bother you in the future.


Mass blocking can be seen as a way to personalise one's Twitter experience and reduce the spread of toxicity and hate speech while also expressing satisfaction and a sense of control over the network. It appears that Mr. Musk has neglected to adequately address these issues, shown little care about them, or perhaps aided and abetted them. As a result, mass blocking has evolved into a strategy to be empowered, recover one's agency, and game the system.
Mass blocking can be perceived as a means to demonstrate satisfaction and a sense of control over the network while also personalising one's experience on Twitter and limiting the spread of negativity and hate speech. It appears that Mr. Musk has either failed to fully address these difficulties, has not given them much thought, or has perhaps actively contributed to them. Mass blocking has therefore developed into a method for gaining power, reclaiming one's agency, and manipulating the system.