Tech companies are finding endless opportunity in the chaos following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter.
That includes Tumblr, the site making a steady comeback into cultural relevance. Tumblr staff took to their page yesterday to openly mock Twitter’s blue check fiasco: in other words, the ongoing saga over Twitter Blue subscriptions, “Official” labels, and the ability to purchase a tiny blue check mark for $8.
Tumblr decided to troll its social-media peer by offering a similar feature — labelled the “Important Blue Internet Checkmarks” — for a one-time fee of $7.99. This item is being sold on its web store, which houses several other facetious features. By purchasing the feature, you get two blue checkmarks (for the price of one!). “That’s cheaper than some other places,” the staff post reads, concluding with the words, “Why, you ask? Why not? Nothing matters! ¯_(ツ)_/¯.”
This poke at Twitter and its dubious verification strategy was hardly concealed. The trolling goes as far as the URL for the post (“hi-were-introducing-completely-useless-blue”). The link to buy these checkmarks redirects users to a Tumblr Mart pop-up, with even more mocking on display (“Be an important person on the internet!“)
Credit: Screenshot / Tumblr.
Naturally, Tumblr fans are loving it all.
Credit: Screenshot / Tumblr.
The site has never seriously offered verification, as The Verge points out, even when it comes to celebrity bloggers or well-known individuals.
Tumblr will likely face an uptick in usage, as people continue to plan their Twitter exodus by turning to alternatives. The once-beloved site is making waves; it’s also bringing back nudity, signaling a comeback as its NSFW content once made Tumblr what it was. Twitter has allowed such material for ages now, so Tumblr’s decision indicates yet another tech company mimicking Twitter’s functions — without all the drama.