EU officials freaking out over blue badges? This ain't about misinformation. It's about power slipping away.

Remember when verification was locked behind velvet ropes? You needed connections. Celebrity status. Maybe a journalist card from the right outlet. Ordinary users? Yeah, keep dreaming.

The old system ran on backroom deals and selective access. Who you knew mattered more than what you contributed. A cozy club where gatekeepers decided who deserved visibility.

Now anyone can get verified by paying a subscription. Suddenly the barrier's gone. No more begging blue-check holders for attention. No more arbitrary standards that somehow always favored certain voices.

And that's what really drives them crazy. Not fake accounts or spam – platforms handled those before verification even existed. What's unbearable is losing their exclusive status symbol.

The outrage isn't technical. It's existential. When everyone can participate equally, the VIP lounge loses its appeal. That democratic shift? Terrifies those who thrived under the old hierarchy.