The Twtter accounts of late stars including Kobe Bryant, Chester Bennington and Chadwick Boseman are showing as appearing to be Twitter Blue subscribers (Picture: Getty/Reuters/AP/Shutterstock)
Twitter and Elon Musk have faced the wrath and confusion of fans after several dead celebrities – including Chadwick Boseman, Kobe Bryant and Chester Bennington – were shown as subscribers to Twitter Blue.
Owner and CEO Musk performed a promised purge of legacy verified users of Twitter on Friday after previously announcing the roll-out of his new subscription service for the platform, Twitter Blue, which costs $8 per month.
Whereas previous owners of Twitter’s blue tick had it to show they were the verified account of the person they claimed to be, the new paid-for service offers a tick and other perks to anyone who pays up and verifies their phone number.
Many high-profile users – thought to be as many as 1,000,000 – saw their ticks removed, but as some appeared to become subscribers to fix the issue, accounts belonging to people who had died while active members of the platform also seemed to have their ticks reinstated, without it being clear as to whether or not a member of their estate had sorted and paid for the new status.
The accounts for Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, singer Michael Jackson and Marvel comic book writer Stan Lee all currently have a Twitter Blue tick, which comes with a statement reading: ‘This account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number.’
These celebrity pages have been managed since their owners’ deaths, but others that have lain dormant are also showing as being verified with blue ticks, including Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, celebrity chef and author Anthony Bourdain and basketball star Kobe Bryant.
The Black Panther star’s account is one of several that had had its blue tick restored (Picture: Twitter)
Boseman’s estate could have made the decision to pay for Twitter Blue, but it is currently unclear (Picture: Getty)
Linkin Park musician Chester Bennington’s account has been inactive since his death in July 2017 (Picture: Twitter)
Basketball great Kobe Bryant also has a statement on his account claiming its subsribed to Twitter Blue (Picture: Twitter)
Fans slammed what could be considered as false claims from Twitter as ‘grotesque’ as one tweeted: ‘Is it just me or is it sorta gross that dead celebs like @chadwickboseman and @kobebryant are being labelled as Twitter Blue subscribers?
‘I hope the admins of their accounts look into this. Seems misleading.’
Another added: ‘Amazing how @kobebryant and Anthony @Bourdain managed to “subscribe to twitter blue by verifying their phone number” AFTER their deaths.’
Twitter CEO and owner Elon Musk removed legacy verified status ticks from up to 1,000,000 accounts on Friday (Picture: Getty)
Bennington’s account was one to see a tick reinstated next to his name over the weekend (Picture: Getty)
‘Loads of people ‘endorsing’ a project against their will despite being dead,’ pointed out someone else.
It’s currently unknown whether or not these figures’ estates have been involved with paying for Twitter Blue, but Musk has further muddied the waters by revealing he is paying for some celebrities’ subscriptions, including that of horror best-seller Stephen King, who has been a vocal critic of the service.
As the author insisted he was not paying for Twitter Blue via a statement tweet to his followers when he saw that his account now suggested he was, Musk responded: ‘You’re welcome namaste.’
Musk admitted he was also ‘personally paying’ for other celebrities reluctant to pony up for the subscription, such as William Shatner and LeBron James, to ensure they kept their Twitter Blue checkmark.
Author Stephen King is a reluctant Twitter Blue subscriber, after Musk revealed he is paying for the writer to have a Twitter Blue account (Picture: Getty)
On Saturday evening, other stars showing a Twitter Blue subscribers also went ont the site to refute the claim.
Actor Sir Ian McKellen tweeted: ‘Despite the implication when you click the blue badge that has mysteriously re-appeared beside my name, I am not paying for the ‘honour’.’
‘My blue tick has reappeared. For free… some game,’ tennis icon Sir Andy Murray posted.
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Meanwhile The Sandman author Neil Gaiman revealed on Sunday: ‘I woke up to find I’m now blue ticked again. I haven’t paid for Twitter or given anyone my phone number.
‘Mr Musk, if you’re paying for people who don’t want blue ticks to have them, @StephenKing’s suggestion that you donate the money to charity is excellent. To Refugees, perhaps?’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Twitter for comment but has received no professional response. A rep for Chadwick Boseman has also been contacted.
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It’s unclear if the stars’ estates have subscribed, but some of the accounts have been dormant since their owner’s death.