Quagmire Toilet.
It seems like an implausible idea: a San Francisco company will go to your home and affix a blue checkmark to your home, letting your neighbors know you're "Twitter verified."
Such was the thinking of artist Danielle Baskin, who manufactured "Blue Check Homes" last Friday as a joke satirizing Twitter users who think themselves elite due to the little blue thingy next to their name. To her surprise, many didn't think it was a joke at all and sincerely requested her "service."
You can now get a Verified Badge crest on your Bay Area home if you're an influencer, public figure, or represent a brand. https://t.co/SyoURdSGe7 pic.twitter.com/H1Sz3gwBdL
— Writer for Black Mirror (@djbaskin) January 30, 2021
Baskin received 495 applications, she told SFGate, and while some applicants were clearly joking, a surprising amount seemed very serious.
"I did what I thought was a mediocre Photoshop job," she said. "I thought, ‘This is all very clickbait-y.’ All of the copy, I thought, was so obviously satire."
When one visits Blue Check Homes, that copy reads "The blue verified badge on your house lets people outside know that you're an authentic public figure. To receive the blue check crest, there must be someone authentic and notable actively living in the house."
It goes on, "For verified homeowners, the BLUE CHECK HOMES installation team will secure your home's very own plaster baronial crest for a fee of $2999.99… If you purchase a second property or move homes you will have to reapply for the crest. You do not need to remove the crest if you sell your home to new homeowners, as it's part of your historical legacy and honor."
The qualifications to receive a "blue check" on your home include "Homeowners who are athletes or on professional esports leagues, and coaches listed on the official team website or who have 3 or more featured references within the 6 months prior to applying in news outlets such as Kotaku, Polygon, or IGN," "Homeowners who are actors with at least 5 production credits on their IMDB profile," etc. While it may seem ridiculous, Baskin says its the same criteria Twitter uses to assign blue checks.
"The verification thing is meaningless,” she said. “The blue check does not mean you’re wealthy or good at Twitter or are a notable figure, but people still have these assumptions about it. I wanted to make my whole process seem ridiculous to make fun of the verification process."
The prank was spawned by Baskin's curiosity about various other (legitimate) crests on San Francisco home. After a friend joked the crests were "the blue checkmark before Twitter," the plan was set in motion.
Ultimately, she may grant someone who applied the Blue Checkmark for their home (provided they're in on the joke) and won't charge them the $3,000. The rest, she says, may get a rejection letter.
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