Twitter rolls back $8 blue verification check after wave of imposter accounts mimic real brands

Twitter CEP Elon Musk's idea of charging users for a blue verification checkmark was put on hold Friday, after the social media company verified a wave of imposter accounts posing as real brands.Musk decided to change the policy on Twitter's blue checkmark that previously verified the identity of certain influential users such as politicians and celebrities. Instead, the $8 monthly fee for the new premium service allowed anyone to get verified, spawning a wave of imitation accounts.

Twitter Blue signups unavailable after raft of fake accounts

Twitter's relaunched premium service -- which grants blue-check "verification" labels to anyone willing to pay $8 a month -- was unavailable Friday after the social media platform was flooded by a wave of imposter accounts it itself had approved. 

Twitter Blue signups unavailable after raft of fake accounts

For advertisers, the fake accounts could be the last straw as Musk’s rocky run atop the platform — laying off half the workforce and triggering high-profile departures — raises questions about its survivability.