Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, stirred up emotions when he changed the rules for verified accounts on the popular social media platform by revealing users will be charged for their blue badges.
The initial price of $20 which is equivalent to GH₵ 281 (at the time of this story) caused an uproar on the digital platform with many celebrities voicing out against it.
Some have labelled it outrageous and not in line with the company’s core rules, but Elon Musk is certain the new directive will keep the platform active and up the business ladder.
Disclosing what led him to implement the charges he said:
“Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bullsh*t. Power to the people! Blue for $8/month. Price adjusted by country proportionate to purchasing power parity.”
According to Musk, the charge for the blue badge will give users VIP services in terms of security and easy business flow that regular users can’t have – even with less advertisement distracting their interface.
He tweeted: “You will also get: – Priority in replies, mentions & search, which is essential to defeat spam/scam – Ability to post long video & audio – Half as many ads.”
Adding that, the charges will help the platform pay for content creators who engage with their followers daily. “And paywall bypass for publishers willing to work with us. This will also give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators,” he said.
Giving more incite into the 8-dollar verification fee, Elon Musk said, “There will be a secondary tag below the name for someone who is a public figure, which is already the case for politicians.”
Interestingly, after sharing clear-cut objectives, some celebrities are still having a great time dealing with it.
But Elon Musk has asked all complainers to accept it because it has come to stay.
Nonetheless, users will have to wait to see how and when the charges will take effect fully.
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