Notable Canadians on Twitter lose 'verified' checkmarks: 'Impersonation rampant' | Canada News Media
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Notable Canadians on Twitter lose ‘verified’ checkmarks: ‘Impersonation rampant’

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It’s a new era on Twitter, one that has left many worried about the social media giant’s future.(Credit: Justin Bieber/Twitter, Doug Ford/Twitter, Getty Images)

Many on Twitter are voicing concern over impersonation efforts following the latest update of Twitter Blue, which has left many Canadian politicians and celebrities check-less, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Justin Bieber and Drake.

On April 20, Twitter owner Elon Musk decided to remove “legacy” verified status — a free feature that was used to legitimize credible news sources, politicians, celebrities and more, through a blue checkmark next to one’s title. Now, anyone can sign up for Twitter Blue by paying $8 a month and verifying their phone number, to receive a blue check.

After about 24 hours, Travis Brown, a Berlin-based developer of software for tracking social media, has pointed out how the updated paid model has made little impact, except for stripping many of their blue checkmark status.

With barely anyone having a blue checkmark, many are concerned that it makes it open season for impersonators. It allows them to trick the public with fake accounts, putting the extra responsibility on the reader to distinguish if what they’re reading is in fact from a legitimate source.

Canadian political leaders lose blue checkmark

Canadians are taking note of who has and hasn’t opted to pay $8 to maintain their “blue checkmark” status on the social media site.

Of Canada’s main four party leaders, it’s Pierre Poilievre who sticks out.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau currently has a grey checkmark, a free feature that indicates that the account “represents a government/multilateral organization or a government/multilateral official.” It’s unclear why Poilievre doesn’t have a grey checkmark himself, since the feature is also given to those who are part of “parliamentary or equivalent institutional and committee accounts,” according to Twitter’s guidelines.

A gold checkmark has been made for an “official business account through Twitter Verified Organizations.”

 

As of Friday afternoon, many notable Canadian politicians, celebrities and media organizations have been made check-less, such as Toronto-based news station CP24 and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who according to CTV News, will “not be paying for Twitter Blue verification services.”

Credit: Doug Ford’s Twitter
Credit: CP24’s Twitter
Credit: Justin Bieber’s Twitter
Credit: Drake’s Twitter

What is Twitter Blue?

Twitter Blue is the social media site’s “premium subscription service,” as Musk looks to revamp its “corrupt” predecessor. It provides users with access to features like editing tweets, NFT profile pictures and publishing longer text and video posts.

Those who have Twitter Blue receive a blue checkmark beside their name. Previously, that was a feature that was made available to users who went through Twitter’s free verification process, which had the goal of legitimizing an account by verifying that the person reflected as the holder of the account is in fact the one leading it.

To obtain Twitter Blue for a personal account, users must pay $8 and verify their phone number. On Twitter’s website, at the time of publication, there are no mentions of further steps to verify one’s identity, however it’s stated that “changes to your profile photo, display name, or username (@handle) will result in the loss of the blue checkmark until the account is validated as continuing to meet our requirements.”

Since the unveiling of the new model, Musk has confirmed that he is footing the bill for some celebrities’ Twitter Blue status, like those of LeBron James, William Shatner and Stephen King, who all had previously mentioned that they were not going to pay for the feature.

Other celebrities have taken to Twitter to note that they’ve lost their checkmarks, like Halle Berry and Ben Stiller.

However, many are also voicing their concern over impersonation efforts, like what was recently seen in Chicago, where fake accounts tricked many into believing that a major thoroughfare was closing to private traffic next month — tweets that were viewed by over 100,000 users.

Others are worried similar scenarios could take place during moments of crisis, like during extreme weather warnings, where the public relies on Twitter accounts for urgent info.

Many are skeptical that this era of Twitter will last, as they foresee class action lawsuits as a result of impersonators.

Others are also calling for a different system, where free verification is not lumped into the same model at Twitter Blue, which provides additional features on the social media site.

 

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Carry On Canadian Business. Carry On!

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business to start in Canada

Human Resources Officers must be very busy these days what with the general turnover of employees in our retail and business sectors. It is hard enough to find skilled people let alone potential employees willing to be trained. Then after the training, a few weeks go by then they come to you and ask for a raise. You refuse as there simply is no excess money in the budget and away they fly to wherever they come from, trained but not willing to put in the time to achieve that wanted raise.

I have had potentials come in and we give them a test to see if they do indeed know how to weld, polish or work with wood. 2-10 we hire, and one of those is gone in a week or two. Ask that they want overtime, and their laughter leaving the building is loud and unsettling. Housing starts are doing well but way behind because those trades needed to finish a project simply don’t come to the site, with delay after delay. Some people’s attitudes are just too funny. A recent graduate from a Ivy League university came in for an interview. The position was mid-management potential, but when we told them a three month period was needed and then they would make the big bucks they disappeared as fast as they arrived.

Government agencies are really no help, sending us people unsuited or unwilling to carry out the jobs we offer. Handing money over to staffing firms whose referrals are weak and ineffectual. Perhaps with the Fall and Winter upon us, these folks will have to find work and stop playing on the golf course or cottaging away. Tried to hire new arrivals in Canada but it is truly difficult to find someone who has a real identity card and is approved to live and work here. Who do we hire? Several years ago my father’s firm was rocking and rolling with all sorts of work. It was a summer day when the immigration officers arrived and 30+ employees hit the bricks almost immediately. The investigation that followed had threats of fines thrown at us by the officials. Good thing we kept excellent records, photos and digital copies. We had to prove the illegal documents given to us were as good as the real McCoy.

Restauranteurs, builders, manufacturers, finishers, trades-based firms, and warehousing are all suspect in hiring illegals, yet that becomes secondary as Toronto increases its minimum wage again bringing our payroll up another $120,000. Survival in Canada’s financial and business sectors is questionable for many. Good luck Chuck!. at least your carbon tax refund check should be arriving soon.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

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Imperial to cut prices in NWT community after low river prevented resupply by barges

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NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T. – Imperial Oil says it will temporarily reduce its fuel prices in a Northwest Territories community that has seen costs skyrocket due to low water on the Mackenzie River forcing the cancellation of the summer barge resupply season.

Imperial says in a Facebook post it will cut the air transportation portion that’s included in its wholesale price in Norman Wells for diesel fuel, or heating oil, from $3.38 per litre to $1.69 per litre, starting Tuesday.

The air transportation increase, it further states, will be implemented over a longer period.

It says Imperial is closely monitoring how much fuel needs to be airlifted to the Norman Wells area to prevent runouts until the winter road season begins and supplies can be replenished.

Gasoline and heating fuel prices approached $5 a litre at the start of this month.

Norman Wells’ town council declared a local emergency on humanitarian grounds last week as some of its 700 residents said they were facing monthly fuel bills coming to more than $5,000.

“The wholesale price increase that Imperial has applied is strictly to cover the air transportation costs. There is no Imperial profit margin included on the wholesale price. Imperial does not set prices at the retail level,” Imperial’s statement on Monday said.

The statement further said Imperial is working closely with the Northwest Territories government on ways to help residents in the near term.

“Imperial Oil’s decision to lower the price of home heating fuel offers immediate relief to residents facing financial pressures. This step reflects a swift response by Imperial Oil to discussions with the GNWT and will help ease short-term financial burdens on residents,” Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Infrastructure, said in a news release Monday.

Wawzonek also noted the Territories government has supported the community with implementation of a fund supporting businesses and communities impacted by barge cancellations. She said there have also been increases to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy in Norman Wells, and continued support for heating costs for eligible Income Assistance recipients.

Additionally, she said the government has donated $150,000 to the Norman Wells food bank.

In its declaration of a state of emergency, the town said the mayor and council recognized the recent hike in fuel prices has strained household budgets, raised transportation costs, and affected local businesses.

It added that for the next three months, water and sewer service fees will be waived for all residents and businesses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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U.S. vote has Canadian business leaders worried about protectionist policies: KPMG

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TORONTO – A new report says many Canadian business leaders are worried about economic uncertainties related to the looming U.S. election.

The survey by KPMG in Canada of 735 small- and medium-sized businesses says 87 per cent fear the Canadian economy could become “collateral damage” from American protectionist policies that lead to less favourable trade deals and increased tariffs

It says that due to those concerns, 85 per cent of business leaders in Canada polled are reviewing their business strategies to prepare for a change in leadership.

The concerns are primarily being felt by larger Canadian companies and sectors that are highly integrated with the U.S. economy, such as manufacturing, automotive, transportation and warehousing, energy and natural resources, as well as technology, media and telecommunications.

Shaira Nanji, a KPMG Law partner in its tax practice, says the prospect of further changes to economic and trade policies in the U.S. means some Canadian firms will need to look for ways to mitigate added costs and take advantage of potential trade relief provisions to remain competitive.

Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protectionist policies that could cause uncertainty for Canadian trade, and whoever takes the White House will be in charge during the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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