Want To Keep Or Get A Blue Tick On Twitter? Pay RM38 Per Month According To Elon Musk
The billionaire is asking people to pay to keep the influential social network running.
By Nurul Qistina — 03 Nov 2022, 11:52 AM
Elon Musk announced on Tuesday, 2 November, that Twitter will charge a USD8 (RM38) monthly fee to users who want a blue tick by their name, indicating a verified account
The billionaire made changes to Twitter right away after purchasing the social media site on 27 October. With Musk in charge, a lot has happened since, such as firing executives to proposing a new content moderation committee.
According to CNET, the company's subscription service, known as Twitter Blue, costs USD5 (RM24) per month but does not offer the verified blue check mark as a benefit.
However, in response to a tweet from author Stephen King on 1 November, Musk stated, "We need to find a way to pay the bills somehow! Twitter can't only rely on advertisers. How about USD8?"
He continued replying, "I will explain the rationale in detail before this is implemented. It is the only way to defeat the bots and trolls."
The blue check mark is intended to make it easier for users to identify whether or not a celebrity, journalist, or other famous figure's account is real or fake.
In a thread, Musk further explained the benefits of a verified blue check mark as a part of the Twitter Blue subscription plan
On 2 November, Musk tweeted that the pricing would vary depending on the country.
The membership will include "priority in replies, mentions, and search, which is essential to beat spam or scam".
Other perks include the ability to post long videos and audio clips. Verified users would see half as many ads and receive a paywall bypass for publishers that are willing to work with the platform.
He explained that this will also give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators.
Musk has also confirmed that the company is actively revamping the verification process on Twitter
According to Greek Reporter, previously verified users will have to pay for the subscription if they want to keep their blue badge, and will be given 90 days to switch to the premium subscription.
The modifications will impact around 400,000 blue tick verified accounts on the platform.
Greek Reporter also stated that approximately 90% of its USD5 billion (approximately RM24 billion) annual earnings come from advertising, which would be reduced for Blue subscribers.
