The secret list of Twitter VIPs getting boosted over everyone else

Congratulations to Ben Shapiro, AOC, and ... LeBron?

“blue bird wearing crown” / DALL-E

Last week, Twitter began notifying users who were verified under the company’s previous regime that their blue check marks will be taken away unless they become paid subscribers for $8 a month. It’s about “treating everyone equally,” CEO Elon Musk tweeted in response to a critical William Shatner. “There shouldn’t be a different standard for celebrities imo.”

But Twitter does have a different standard for celebrities – including Musk himself. For months, the platform has maintained a list of around 35 VIP users whose accounts it monitors and offers increased visibility alongside Elon Musk, according to documents obtained by Platformer. The list, which spans the political gamut and also includes several journalists and celebrities, includes:

• NBA All-Star LeBron James

• Daily Wire founder and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro

• Pseudonymous conservative commentator @catturd2

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY

• President Joe Biden