Why Gmail Is Introducing a Twitter-Like Blue Checkmark

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Elon Musk, after dramatically slashing Twitter’s headcount following his takeover of the social platform, said the company will try to rehire some of them — acknowledging that the job cuts were too deep. Musk has slashed Twitter’s headcount by about 80%, from 7,800 to about 1,500, as he has attempted to cut costs and get the company in the black. “Some people who were let go probably shouldn’t have been,” Musk said during an interview with CNBC anchor David Faber following the 2023 Tesla annual shareholder meeting Tuesday at the car maker’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. “Desperate times call for desperate measures… Unfortunately, if you do it fast, there are some babies who will be thrown out,” Musk said. Twitter now will probably try to rehire some of the Twitter employees that were let go, he said.

Yaccarino, a graduate of Penn State University, served as the chair of global advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, acting as «the strategic and operational bridge across the entirety of NBCUniversal's global networks, properties, and business units,» according to her profile on LinkedIn. Her role involved monetizing the company's networks, digital and streaming platforms, distribution and commerce partnerships, and client relationships.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Elon Musk claims he’s hired someone to replace him as CEO of Twitter. But for now, the tech tycoon isn’t revealing who that is. “Excited to announce that I’ve hired a new CEO for X/Twitter,” the mega-billionaire tweeted Thursday. “She will be starting in ~6 weeks! My role will transition to being exec chair & CTO, overseeing product, software & sysops.” Back in December, Musk said he would step aside as Twitter’s chief executive once he found “someone foolish enough” to take over the role. Even then, however, the billionaire will retain control of the social network and remain closely involved in running it. Musk closed a $44 billion deal for Twitter in October 2022, but he’s since said he now values the company at less than half that — at $20 billion.

Twitter accounts, including those of Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk, in one of the biggest hacks in social media history. Joseph James O’Connor, also known as PlugwalkJoe, pleaded guilty in New York on Tuesday to his role in the July 2020 hacking, in addition to cyberstalking and multiple other schemes. O’Connor was extradited from Spain on April 26 to face charges which carry a total maximum sentence of more than 70 years in prison.

Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk, in one of the biggest hacks in social media history. Joseph James O'Connor, also known as PlugwalkJoe, pleaded guilty in New York on Tuesday to his role in the July 2020 hacking, in addition to cyberstalking and multiple other schemes. O'Connor was extradited from Spain on April 26 to face charges which carry a total maximum sentence of more than 70 years in prison.

Tucker Carlson said that he is planning to relaunch his show on Twitter.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Tucker Carlson announced that he will bring a version of his Fox News show — which he lost after getting fired last month — on Twitter, the social platform owned by Elon Musk. “Starting soon, we’ll be bringing a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter,” Carlson said in a video shared Tuesday on the platform. “Free speech is the main right you have. Without it, you have no others.” It’s not immediately clear if Carlson has a deal with Musk to launch the show on Twitter or if he’s doing it independently. Carlson will forgo at least $25 million to break his noncompete clause with Fox News, according to Puck News’ Dylan Byers. Prior to Carlson’s announcement of the forthcoming Twitter show, a lawyer for the former Fox News host sent a letter to the cable network accusing Fox News of “fraud and breach of contract,” Axios reported. That is presumably intended to set the stage for Carlson to claim he’s not bound by a noncompete provision of his contract with Fox News.

Despite all of the upheaval at Twitter under new owner Elon Musk in recent months, the social media firm and NBCUniversal say they have gotten their earliest start yet in ramping up their Olympic Games partnership.

McKinley Franklin editor Elon Musk announced Saturday that Twitter will allow media publishers to charge users on a per-article basis in the near future. The new feature will let media publishers allow users to acquire access to articles for a one-time fee, as opposed to purchasing a full subscription. “Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click,” Musk tweeted. “This enables users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per article price for when they want to read an occasional article.” Musk anticipates that the new Twitter feature will be a “win-win” for readers and media publishers. 

A Twitter Blue user leveraged the subscription service’s new ability to upload longer videos to post the entirety of the Super Mario Bros. Movie, an infringement that wasn’t discovered for several hours, Forbes reports.

“Real Time With Bill Maher” was a lengthy sit-down between its host and embattled Twitter CEO Elon Musk — two men who, by their own count, have faced attempted cancellation “many times.” Circling the topic of cancel culture, at one point in the interview, Maher told the social media head that he chooses not to tweet as much in fear of it: “The mob of mean girls is still there,” he said, adding, “It’s so easy to get canceled, and I don’t even know what pisses them off, these kids.” When Musk advised him to learn to ignore the feedback, Maher quipped, “That’s easy for you to say. They can’t take your job!”In the interview segment (which you can watch in full above), Maher began by defending Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter last fall.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Elon Musk’s Twitter has stirred up a new wave of confusion. After the multibillionaire tech baron made good on his threat to yank Twitter blue check-marks from celebrities who weren’t paying him $8 per month last week, the social network has reinstated the badge for many — including on accounts of people who have died. The Musk-owned social network on April 20 revoked verified blue check-mark status from thousands of accounts belonging to celebrities, athletes, politicians and other “notable” figures granted under the company’s previous ownership. The hope was that taking away the “free” Twitter blue check-mark would boost revenue from subscriptions to Twitter Blue, while Musk has also framed it as democratizing the user-verification process.

Twitter has added posthumous blue checks to the accounts of dead celebrities including Kobe Bryant, Michael Jackson, Chadwick Bosman, Chester Bennington and more.The updates follow a promise made by owner Elon Musk, which saw him remove all legacy-verified checkmarks from the site on April 20, as a way of encouraging users to sign up for an $8 (£6) monthly fee.While the removal of the legacy-verified checkmarks sparked debates from multiple users throughout the entertainment industry — including Ricky Gervais and Jack Black — in recent days numerous high-profile accounts regained the verification symbol on their accounts. This was suspected to be part of a wider (but unannounced) scheme to restore verification to users with over one million followers.Among the famous faces who have had the checkmark reissued to their account are multiple dead celebrities.

Broadcaster Rylan Clark was among the celebrities left baffled after waking up to find that his Twitter blue tick had been reinistated. It appears Twitter accounts with more than a million followers have had blue ticks reinstated by owner Elon Musk without having to pay a subscription fee, leaving users confused.

Earlier this week, thousands of Twitter users lost their 'blue tick', which signified whether or not a person - often celebrities, journalists and significant users - was verified. Many have been vocal about refusing to pay to keep their blue tick, however, Martin Lewis has defended his decision to do so.

Twitter has removed labels denoting “Government-Funded Media” for news outlets NPR, PBS, the BBC and others after criticisms from the organizations that the label is not and accurate representations of their editorial independence.

like thousands of others, lost his official verification badge after a site-wide purge of legacy verified accounts who refused to pony up for Twitter Blue — Musk’s $8-dolllar-a-month subscription service. “dear @elonmusk.

Ricky Gervais has spoken out after losing his blue checkmark on Twitter.On Thursday (April 20), the profile verification checkmarks were removed from all legacy accounts on the platform, barring those who paid for a Twitter Blue subscription.Various figures within the entertainment have since been sharing their thoughts about the change, with Gervais being one of the latest.“My blue tick has gone. I’m not sure if I’m really me or not,” joked the After Life star.My blue tick has gone.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The squeaky wheel gets the Twitter blue check-mark, it seems. After Twitter’s mass revocation Thursday of thousands of “legacy” verified blue check-marks, carrying out owner Elon Musk’s long-promised purge of the “corrupt” system, several high-profile accounts still had the iconic blue badges… even though they evidently aren’t paying for Twitter Blue (the subscription service whose perks now include a blue check-mark). Those included NBA superstar LeBron James, actor William Shatner and author Stephen King — each of whom had tweeted that they wouldn’t pay for Twitter Blue or had complained about Musk’s switch in the verification program.

Twitter has entered a whole new era.