Reality TV star and entrepreneur Natacha Akide, better known as Tacha, has taken to social media to bitterly lament the removal of her verification badge by Twitter.
As previously announced by Twitter CEO Elon Musk, the social media platform on Thursday began the removal of verified blue ticks from the accounts of most public figures, including celebrities, journalists, professional athletes, and politicians.
Verification badges on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are given to accounts deemed to be of public interest or with a significant following. The blue badge is a symbol of authenticity and credibility, helping distinguish real accounts from fake or impersonating ones.
The social media company recently announced that its verification badge, ‘Twitter Blue,’ is now subscription-based. Accounts that wish to retain the badge are required to pay $8 monthly.
Numerous checkmarks disappeared from the Twitter accounts of users who didn’t pay the subscription fee for the traditional blue badge.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wizkid, Davido, Burnaboy, Olamide, and Tiwa Savage, each with millions of followers, lost their badges for not subscribing to Twitter Blue.
Former Big Brother Naija housemate Tacha, who was also affected by the development, took to her page to lament, noting that she is nothing without the blue tick.
In an audio recording shared on the microblogging platform, she pleaded with Twitter CEO Elon Musk to restore her verification badge.
Elon Musk where’s my verification Ooh😩😭 pic.twitter.com/5SMjlNQKeO
— TACHA.ETH🔱🇳🇬🇬🇭 (@Symply_Tacha) April 20, 2023
