Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has taken over Twitter after completing his $44 billion acquisition of the site last week. A lot has transpired at Twitter since then. The most recent example is the adjustments to Twitter’s verification mechanism. Instead of being available to users with an active and significant account, or what Musk refers to as a ‘lords & peasants system,’ the Twitter ‘blue tick’ will now be available to only Twitter Blue subscribers for $8 per month.
Not only that, but Blue members will receive additional benefits. This includes half of the advertisements (not a completely ad-free experience), as well as priority in tweet replies, mentions, and search. Members of Twitter Blue will also be able to publish extended movies and audio, which appears to be an attempt to entice more creators to the subscription.
In addition, Musk stated in a following tweet that Twitter Blue will have a paywall bypass function that will work with publishers who engage with Twitter.
It’s unclear how the priority in responses, mentions, and search advantages will operate, but many Twitter users appear dissatisfied with the thought that paying verified members’ tweets and profiles will take precedence over those without a blue tick.
Musk has stated that Twitter Blue prices may vary by area, with the price being changed per country “proportionate to purchasing power parity.” This implies that the monthly membership fee in India, for example, might be less than $8. (about Rs 661).
Musk has also hinted that public figures will have a secondary tag beneath their name. This is expected to be a secondary badge, possibly with the blue tick for famous users.
Musk’s action has since sparked widespread criticism on the platform. However, the SpaceX and Tesla entrepreneur only confirmed the new obligatory verification cost in subsequent tweets, altering his Twitter bio to ‘Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator.’
Twitter’s previous verification system awarded the blue tick mark to significant users based on its own criteria, with users able to apply for the verified badge across many categories for both individuals and businesses.
The process was also free; users who applied for or were considered qualified for a blue tick were not charged, and users could reapply once every 30 days.
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