Elon Musk has been taking desperate measures to generate profit for Twitter. Before he took over, the company was already struggling financially. One of his extreme steps has been the introduction of Twitter Blue. This policy requires users to pay a monthly fee to get and retain their verification marks; it has met with mixed responses.
Several high-profile celebrities like Stephen King and William Shatner have criticized this policy. In April, the company started ending the legacy badges from the platform. However, King still has his blue checkmark on Twitter. This resulted in a feud between Musk and King which snowballed into a conversation about the Ukraine war.
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Elon Musk vs. Stephen King Over Donations
Several celebrities ended up losing their blue check marks after Elon Musk’s Twitter ended the legacy badges. But novelist Stephen King wasn’t one of them as his account continues to have the blue badge.
King took to the platform to say that he hasn’t paid for Twitter Blue and doesn’t need it. “I think Mr. Musk should give my blue check to charity,” he wrote. “I recommend the Prytula Foundation, which provides lifesaving services in Ukraine. It’s only $8, so perhaps Mr. Musk could add a bit more.”
I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?
(We turned down the DoD money btw) https://t.co/wpLa6dTnP6
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2023
In response, Musk wrote: “I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?” The billionaire also mentioned that SpaceX has received a financial blow for providing Starlink service in Ukraine.
Earlier, ‘The Shining‘ writer had said, “My Twitter account says I’ve subscribed to Twitter Blue. I haven’t. My Twitter account says I’ve given a phone number. I haven’t.”
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King Had Criticized The Policy When It Was First Announced
Several high-profile names, including Donald Trump, ended up losing their verified badges on the platform. On the other hand, Musk has admitted to paying the fee for LeBron James‘ account.
Last year, King had expressed his dissatisfaction with the platform since Musk took over. “I think I liked Twitter better in the pre-Musk days. Less controversy, more fun,” he tweeted.
After Twitter Blue was announced, King stated that he won’t be paying for it. “$20 a month to keep my blue check? Fuck that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I’m gone like Enron“, he wrote. To which Musk said that they need to pay the bills.
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