Figures such as the Pope, Trump or Beyoncé lost their 'blue badge' on Twitter this Thursday, after the social network led by Elon Musk fulfilled its promise and withdrew the badge from those who refused to pay.

The social network has undergone a change with accounts losing this distinctive mark obtained in the past, after verification of the user's identity and subject to certain conditions, including notoriety.

The 'stamp' has disappeared from countless personalities such as Justin Bieber, Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7), Bill Gates or Lady Gaga, as well as many journalists, teachers and activists.

Even '@jack', the account of Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, had its 'blue seal' removed.

In the political sector, many rulers have also lost it, while others have obtained a 'grey seal', reserved for government accounts or certain organizations.

The 'blue seal' now signals users who pay eight dollars a month to have this distinction and other "Twitter Blue" advantages (more visibility, technical privileges or fewer ads).

These include Donald Trump Junior and the Dalai Lama.

The date wasn't chosen at random: April 20, pronounced 4/20 in English, is a reference to cannabis in the United States. And the owner of Tesla and SpaceX loves jokes on this subject, to the point that he bought the platform at 54.20 dollars a share.

Elon Musk had to try several times to launch Twitter Blue, a decision that generated and is generating criticism.

According to the multi-millionaire, the subscription should also make it possible to combat fake profiles and automated accounts and diversify income, at a time when many brands have fled the platform.

Between November and January, half of Twitter's top 30 advertisers stopped buying advertising space there, according to the Pathmatics platform.

Brands are reluctant to invest in a platform "where chaos, arbitrary change and uncertainty reign," explained Jasmine Enberg of Insider Intelligence last week.

"The 'blue label' is no longer a guarantee of credibility," since anyone can pay to have it, he recalled.