Rapid Insights: Checks: A Memetic Play on Blue Checks

Twitter introduced the blue “verified” badge in 2009 to distinguish celebrities and organizations from impostors and parodies. Though verification filters fake accounts, critics argue it introduced a new social class of Twitter users, described by Elon Musk as “lords and peasants.” The badge has become a virtual status symbol, though verified users are often disparagingly referred to as “blue checks.” Under Elon Musk’s regime, the verified badge can be purchased for a subscription of $8 per month. As a nod to the evolution of the blue check, a new project has emerged in the NFT space. 

Checks, an open edition NFT project by Jack Butcher - the creator of ‘Visualize Value,’ revolves around the gamification and cultural relevance of a blue check in a memefied manner, and has captured significant attention in one week. Twitter is at the center of the evolution of NFTs and the building of various thought cultures, and this project builds on the cultural relevance Twitter has created in the on-chain art space.