Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk has announced the platform’s coveted ‘blue tick’ will now cost users $8 (£7) a month, and criticised the current system as “bulls***”.
In a tweet himself, Musk said: “Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bulls***.
“Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.”
Musk said the cost would be “adjusted by country, proportionate to purchasing power parity”.
For the new monthly fee, Musk also said, users will get “priority in replies, mentions and searches” as well as the ability to post long videos and audio clips.
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The charge would give the platform a “revenue stream to reward content creators,” he added.
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The blue tick, next to a person’s Twitter account, lets users know that an account of public interest is authentic. To receive the blue badge, Twitter stipulates, your account must be “authentic, notable, and active”. There is a six-step verification process.
Last month, Musk completed his high-profile $44bn (£38bn) buyout of the social media platform, with a self-proclaimed remit to ensure everyone’s timeline becomes the ultimate home of free speech.
