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!« )
Naturally, Tumblr fans are loving it all.
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.
