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Many Kenyans and their fellow tweeps around the world have observed the recent changes implemented by Twitter CEO Elon Musk, such as the dogecoin logo and the verification button.
While a majority of Kenyans on Twitter may not be directly affected by the subscription model launched, but many noticed the peculiar image that has seemingly replaced the usual bird.
Over the year, the social media platform has become uniquely identifiable by its blue colour and bird logo, earning its nickname the ‘bird app’.
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However, on April 3, Musk changed the logo, in some parts of the platform, from a bird to an image of a meme; dogecoin.
Twitter's recent policy change regarding the blue checkmark for verified accounts has caused some confusion among users. In the past, the blue checkmark was used to indicate that a user was verified as an authentic public figure or corporate account across various sectors.
However, in November 2022, Twitter's CEO, Elon Musk, announced a plan to remove blue checkmarks from previously verified accounts and instead give them to paid subscribers of Twitter Blue, a subscription service that costs $8 per month for additional Twitter features.
Musk stated last month that legacy verified accounts would have their badges removed by April 1, if they did not subscribe to Twitter Blue.
However, it appears that most of the legacy checkmarks still remain on the platform, with a new distinction. When users click on the checkmark, a pop-up message now explains that the account is verified "because it's subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account."
READ: An Estimated 140000 People Paid for Twitter Blue in 5 Days
This change in the verification process has raised questions about who will pay for the checkmark and how it could affect the dissemination of information on the platform.
Many users are uncertain about what to expect from Twitter going forward, given the unclear guidelines and shifting policies regarding verified accounts.
What is Dogecoin?
Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency created by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, who decided to create a payment system as a "joke", making fun of the wild speculation in cryptocurrencies at the time.
Before Musk tweaked the Twitter logo, he had been sued by individuals who accused the billionaire of using his influence to rake up stock prices for dogecoin and taking advantage.
Investors accused the Twitter CEO of manipulating the price of Dogecoin to artificially inflate it by more than 36,000% and then causing it to crash, to make a profit by shorting the cryptocurrency.
The lawsuit cites examples such as Musk's tweets about Dogecoin and his appearance on Saturday Night Live, during which he encouraged viewers to invest in the cryptocurrency.
The lawsuit seeks damages of $258 billion, which is triple the amount by which the value of Dogecoin declined in the 13 months before the lawsuit.
However, Musk's legal team has argued that his statements were too vague to be considered fraudulent.
Musk's lawyers defended him, stating that there is nothing illegal about expressing support for a legitimate cryptocurrency, and that Dogecoin still maintains a market cap of nearly $10 billion.