Silicon Blogs

• 04-11-2022

It may soon be different to get the coveted blue check mark on Twitter.
Elon Musk, the new "Chief Twit," unveiled a new payment mechanism to obtain the coveted blue check mark after reports of a $20 monthly cost for Twitter verification drew criticism.

According to Musk's most recent proposal, Twitter Blue, a paid subscription service, will charge users $8 a month for verification and other perks, with costs adjusted for the purchasing power parity of each region. Verification is now free.
After Musk said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday that he will continue to serve as CEO of the recently acquired social media site, that theory is likely to remain in play.

To the dismay of many verified accounts, reports on Monday claimed that the business was considering charging $20 per month for the blue check mark. On Monday, author Stephen King tweeted that if the social media site started charging that much for a blue check, he would stop using it.
"We must find a way to pay the bills. Twitter can't only rely on sponsors. Consider $8." King received a tweet reply from Musk. "Before this is put into action, I will go into further detail about the justification. The bots and trolls can only be eliminated in this way."
In addition, users would have priority in answers, mentions, and searches, be able to post lengthy movies and music, see half as many advertisements, and get beyond some publishers' paywalls, according to Musk.

Musk wrote in a tweet on Tuesday, "This will also provide Twitter an income stream to reward content creators."
Only a few days had passed since Musk finalised the purchase of Twitter following months of legal fighting between the billionaire and the management of the firm.

Twitter's verification process

The blue verified badge is intended to indicate the legitimacy of accounts of public importance, such as those belonging to businesses, brands, celebrities, and journalists, in accordance with Twitter's current verification rules.
The present verification procedure was dubbed a "lords & peasants system" by Musk.
In line with what politicians already receive, his proposed new verification system would place a supplementary tag beneath the names of public leaders.
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Twitter verification cost

The current Twitter verification process is free, but in order to display a blue checkmark, the account must be "genuine, significant, and active."
But under Musk, that might change.

Twitter Blue

In Musk's latest proposal, Twitter Blue would be linked to verification. The monthly service, which offers "exclusive access to premium features" like the ability to edit tweets, was introduced in June of last year.
The current monthly fee for the service is $4.99.

The blue check mark on Twitter

Users may tell when an account's validity has been confirmed by Twitter by looking for the blue badge. Verification is frequently done for public personalities including politicians, athletes, and journalists.
Verified accounts can be recognised by a blue badge with a check mark next to their display name.

Verification on Twitter

Twitter requires qualified accounts to be "notable and active" and fit into one of its seven categories for verification in order to receive the blue checkmark:
• Government; • News outlets and people featured in news; • Businesses, companies, and organisations
• Content producers and powerful people; • Sports and gaming; • Activists and organisers;
Parody and unauthorised fan accounts, as well as people or organisations linked to "organised destructive action or hateful speech," are accounts that are not eligible for verification.
Users must verify their identity in order to apply by providing a link to an official website, a picture of a government-issued photo ID, or an official email address. Users must present a certain kind of proof depending on which verification categories they belong into.

Will Vine return to Twitter?

Musk's plan for Twitter is likely to lead to other significant changes at the business. According to Axios on Monday, Musk has given Twitter engineers instructions to start working on a revamp of the six-second video network Vine.
In 2016, just three years after debuting the service, Twitter discontinued Vine. According to unnamed sources cited by Axios, the Vine reboot might be completed by year's end.
Separately, The Verge said that Musk instructed engineers to research the amount of labour required to bring the video service back.
On Sunday, Musk posted a poll asking if Vine should be brought back.

Changes on Twitter

According to a securities filing, the board of Twitter was disbanded when Musk seized control of the business, leaving him the only director.
The $44 billion merger was completed on Thursday, and the business announced that all nine members of the board of directors had been fired.
As the new owner of Twitter, Musk made the decision to fire several high-ranking employees, including Parag Agrawal, the CEO.
It was believed that Musk would remain Twitter's CEO. His capacity to lead five significant businesses at once—Twitter, SpaceX, The Boring Company, Tesla, and Neuralink—has sparked concerns about how effectively he may carry out those responsibilities.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., announced in a filing on Monday that he will lead Twitter, the social media firm he recently acquired for $44 billion, a move that Wall Street analysts have warned could strain the billionaire. Some employees who spoke with Reuters claimed that they had limited contact with Musk or other executives and were relying on news stories to put together what was going on at the business.