There are already new changes to popular social media platform as its new owner, Elon Musk has asked executives running the platform to jack up the monthly payment for verified handles.
Social media was abuzz on Monday with reports that Musk instructed Twitter employees to quadruple the price of the Twitter Blue subscription plan from $4.99 to $19.99 — which will become the only way to retain verified-user status.
Musk has not commented on the reported plan directly, but said in a tweet Sunday that “The whole verification process is being revamped right now.” According to Twitter’s current verification requirements, “The blue Verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic. To receive the blue badge, your account must be authentic, notable and active.”
Twitter Blue launched in mid-2021, offering various subscriber-only perks including the most recent addition of allowing users to edit tweets within a 30-minute window after posting them.
Musk has discussed various ideas for boosting Twitter’s revenue previously. Shortly after announcing his initial agreement to buy Twitter in April, Musk suggested that Twitter might charge a fee for “commercial/government users.” “Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing,” Musk tweeted on May 3. “Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users.”
Users who are currently verified by Twitter with the blue check-mark badge — for no charge — will have 90 days to subscribe to the new $20/month Twitter Blue plan or have their verification revoked, according to the report. Musk, who closed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter on Oct. 27, has given Twitter employees a deadline of Nov. 7 to implement the change — and if they don’t, they’ll be fired, the Verge reported, citing anonymous sources and “internal correspondence.”
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