Surprise Twitter Checkmarks Open Complicated Path to Liability

Celebrities looking to sue Twitter Inc. over unsolicited blue checkmarks—after Elon Musk said they’d be reserved for paying customers—would have to navigate shifting facts and an uncertain, complex legal landscape.

Public figures including Steven King and LeBron James immediately denied subscribing to the $8-a-month Twitter Blue service as indicated by the blue check in their profiles.

Other purported subscribers include the accounts of deceased celebrities such as former NBA star Kobe Bryant and television host Anthony Bourdain. Some have tried to distance themselves from the premium service, which has been derided as toxic enough to make #blocktheblue a trending topic. ...