Twitter appears to have disabled the ability for people to change their account names following a rash of impersonation attempts by trolls who paid $8 to the company for a blue check mark verification badge. Twitter had earlier disabled the ability to change user display names too, in response to trolls.
The error Twitter now gives when you try to change your account name.
Screenshot by CNET/TwitterWhen CNET reporters attempted to change their account names through the service, they were met with error messages on the company’s website and on mobile devices.
Twitter, which no longer appears to have a public relations department, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The move marks the latest twist of Twitter’s verification scheme under its new owner, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who took over the company in October.
Over the past week, he instituted a new program to sell blue verification checkmarks to anyone who pays $8 per month for its Twitter Blue subscription service. Shortly after, trolls began impersonating various companies and people, including sports stars, journalists and even Musk’s other company, Tesla.
