Elon Musk has reaffirmed his support for Twitter’s proposed new $8-per-month fee for users who want to retain their blue verified checkmark.
The billionaire, who bought Twitter for $44 billion last week, announced on Tuesday that the new verification system would cost $8 per month. Some verified Twitter users were outraged when they learned that they would have to start paying for the blue tick.
Despite the criticism, Musk later in the day reiterated his plans.
To all complainers, please keep complaining, but it will cost you $8, he wrote on Twitter.
According to Elon Musk, the price would include not only the blue checkmark, but also priority in search, fewer ads, and the ability to post long-form video. He intends to incorporate these features into Twitter Blue, the site’s premium subscription service.
The $8 subscription fee is lower than anticipated. According to The Verge, Musk intends to charge $20 per month for Blue, which is currently $4.99 per month.
Author Stephen King had reacted to the news on Twitter, saying he would leave the site if he had to pay $20 to keep his blue checkmark. Musk responded to King’s tweet by saying: We must find a way to pay the bills! Twitter cannot rely solely on advertising revenue. What about $8?
Paying to remain verified on the platform may allow fake accounts and bots to impersonate government officials, journalists, celebrities, and other public figures, potentially leading to more widespread misinformation.
In response to a Twitter user who stated that another user could pay $8 to impersonate Musk by using the same name, profile picture, and tweets, the billionaire stated, That already happens very frequently.
The charge for being verified on Twitter is one of several controversies that Elon Musk has faced since taking over the platform. Others include the dismissal of several top executives, reports that he intends to lay off 25% of his workforce, and an increase in hateful content on the site.