Aymeric Laporte, a Manchester City defender, has rejected the idea of paying for Twitter Blue to obtain a blue verification tick. He dismissed Elon Musk, the platform’s chief, as a “crazy bastard” in comments reported by Business Insider. The exchange underscored a broader debate about how the verification badge would be allocated after Musk announced a shift away from default celebrity verification. This new policy would let paying subscribers gain the blue check, leaving it to individuals to decide whether to subscribe to the service in order to retain the badge, a move that drew sharp reactions from fans and fellow players alike according to Business Insider.
The Premier League player did not hold back when addressing Musk’s decision to end the era of free, automatic verification for high-profile users. He noted that celebrities who once enjoyed verification by default would now have to consider a paid option, a change that has sparked discussion across football communities and social media, as reported by Business Insider. Laporte commented that the change alters something that previously functioned smoothly and efficiently, prompting questions about the value and purpose of the badge in a platform that has experienced rapid transformation in recent months.
In a concise social media interaction, Laporte wrote, “Damn Elon, what have you done,” reflecting a mix of surprise and skepticism toward the new monetization plan. One follower urged him to simply pay the fee and move on, insisting that wealth should make the decision straightforward. That reply highlighted a tension between public perception of celebrities and the practical realities of digital verification, a topic that has ignited debate across sports and entertainment circles, according to coverage from Business Insider.
Laporte emphasized that he would not invest in a feature that previously worked without cost simply because someone else decides to alter the system. He argued that paying for a badge is not a trivial matter when the service belonged to the user prior to the policy shift, a stance that has resonated with many who value free or straightforward access to social verification. The conversation reflects broader concerns about platform governance and the balance between monetization and user experience, as highlighted by Business Insider in their reporting.
Beyond the football world, the move to change verification criteria has touched other public figures, including Pope Francis and a number of well-known personalities. Notable names like former U.S. President Donald Trump and technology leader Bill Gates have also been part of the ongoing public discourse around what verification means in an era of paid features and evolving platform policies, as described in the same media coverage. The episode illustrates how a policy shift can ripple across diverse communities and spark conversations about verification as a symbol of authority, identity, and trust on social networks, according to Business Insider.