Linda Yaccarino’s Blue Checkmark is Gone!

Linda Yaccarino, the former CEO of X, seems to have left the company on good terms. Notably, Elon Musk hasn’t said anything negative about her yet, which is quite remarkable given his history of being outspoken with critics. However, there are subtle signs that perhaps something more might be afoot.

Indeed, dear reader, Linda Yaccarino has lost her blue check!

Before her exit, Yaccarino proudly showcased a blue check alongside her name, paired with an X logo, symbolizing her affiliation with the company renowned for introducing us to Mecha Hitler. Now, both indicators are nowhere to be found.

It’s reasonable to assume that Yaccarino wasn’t subscribing to X Premium. After all, she held the CEO title. Do we think Ted Sarandos pays for Netflix? Or that Mark Cuban buys Dallas Mavericks tickets from StubHub?

Any user can obtain a blue check, and from time to time, X may provide them to notable accounts for verification. (Here’s an idea: reserve blue checks for prominent accounts to reduce impersonation of public figures? Probably too sensible.) Yet, Linda’s account remains devoid of this marker.

While it makes sense to remove her X affiliation since she no longer works there, what about the blue check?

Corporate changes can be awkward. I recall my own experience when Yahoo sold TechCrunch during the company-wide March Madness tournament. I wondered if I won — would I still get my beloved Yahoo Sports sweatshirt? Unfortunately, that query was overlooked in the transition documents, which seemed to prioritize signing up for health insurance instead.

In the end, I received my valued Yahoo Sports sweatshirt, and Linda rightfully deserves her blue check. She recently stepped down from a role where she had to navigate situations like Elon Musk’s infamous “go f— yourself” remark to advertisers during a major livestream. Just let her have this one.