BIGfish CEO, David Gerzof Richard, appeared on CBS News and NBC News Boston to share insights on the chaos surrounding Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. Part of Musk’s changes to the social media platform has included an option for all Twitter users to pay $7.99 per month to receive the previously elusive blue check mark, which was reserved exclusively for journalists, notable people and companies. In the wake of this change verified, but fake, accounts for highly influential individuals and businesses have been cropping up, sharing false information, supported by the recognizable blue check mark.

In his interview with CBS Boston, David Richard said, “Twitter is based on credibility, and this blue check literally was a check on the barbarians at the gate. It is what made reporters and journalists stand out from the everyday conspiracy theorists. Once that wall came down, everybody was at the same level, and who do you believe?” This was demonstrated in real time when Senator Ed Markey, Lebron James, and Eli Lilly all became victims of false account impersonations. David Richard went on to say, “It’s a dumpster fire. It was just a flow of nonsense and chaos and controversy. What Elon is learning and the rest of us are seeing is that Twitter needs to be as credible a platform as possible to make money.”

In his conversation with NBC Boston, David said, “This doesn’t surprise me at all. This is chaos from the beginning. The supply suddenly flooded the market. Anybody who wanted to acquire a check mark could do it for $8.” 

David Richard concluded his interview with NBC News saying, “I think that Twitter is going to be in crisis mode to try to shore up and bring credibility back. That is what twitter needs to do.”

Learn more on CBS Boston’s site and NBC Boston’s site.