Elon Musk, the new owner and operator of microblogging platform Twitter has announced an $8 monthly charge for verified Twitter account owners. Musk stated in a series tweets Tuesday night that verified accounts will get priority in replies and mentions as well search and the ability to upload long video and audio. He also said that they will be able to place half as many ads. He added that the users would be able bypass paywalls for publishers who are willing to work together with them.
The badges of verified Twitter users are free.
Musk had earlier responded to reports that a $20 fee would be charged for verification badges using Twitter Blue. Musk replied to Stephen King’s dissatisfaction over the internet rumors by saying that the “company must pay its bills”.
Twitter launched a subscription service in June 2013 called “Twitter Blue”. The current price is $4.99 per month. Users have access to many features, such as the option to edit tweets or change Twitter’s display or design, and even the app icon.
Since Musk took over Twitter Friday, there have been many changes. This was after a bitter legal battle. After taking over, Parag Agrawal was fired as Twitter’s Chief Executive. He also fired Ned Segal, Chief Financial Officer, and Vijaya Gadde (the company’s policy and legal affairs chief).
According to Reuters on Monday Musk made it clear in a filing that he had become the sole director at Twitter due to the takeover. According to him, “The following persons who were directors of Twitter before the effective time for the merger have been removed from their positions: Bret T Taylor, ParagAgrawal, Omid Krestani, David Rosenblatt and Martha Lane Fox,” he stated in the filing.