By Yuvraj Malik
Twitter began removing blue checkmarks from user profiles on Thursday, and famous people like Pope Francis, Microsoft Corp MSFT.O co-founder Bill Gates and Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo lost their status as checked.
Under Elon Musk, Twitter has changed the way it distributes the coveted blue checkmarks, previously awarded to notable individuals, journalists, executives, politicians and establishments after verifying their identities. They served as a mark of authenticity.
Musk said in November that Twitter will start charging $8 a month for the badge in an effort to unlock more sources of revenue beyond advertising. Later, the company offered check marks in other colors: gold for companies, and gray for governments and multilateral organizations and authorities.
The pope, who lost the blue checkmark on Thursday, was later given the gray checkmark by Twitter.
The Vatican, which was blindsided, said in a statement that it was aware that Twitter was making changes, but noted that the pope had more than 53 million followers on his @Pontifex accounts in multiple languages.
Some personalities, like basketball star LeBron James and author Stephen King even had their blue checkmarks, apparently courtesy of Musk himself.
(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru.
(Additional reporting by Tiyashi Datta and Philip Pullella in Italy)
(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Tiyashi Datta and Philip Pullella in Italy)
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