Twitter launches $8 monthly ‘blue tick’ subscription service for Apple users

Twitter’s most recent iOS version features a subscription service that allows iPhone users to pay $8 to obtain/maintain their verification status, often known as the blue tick.

The program, which went live on Saturday, follows an earlier announcement by Facebook to monetize the blue checkmark in accordance with Elon Musk’s expectations.

Nairametrics understands that Twitter users who sign up for the subscription service will automatically become verified. And those who are already verified can also use the service to retain their verification. The subscription service is currently not available for Android devices.

$8 for Twitter blue: The new subscription service marks an end to Twitter’s long-standing verification system whereby only public figures and entities could get verified. Musk, who reluctantly acquired the social media firm last week, was quick to announce that he was overhauling the old system. 

Concerns by Users: The news about the overhaul was met with criticisms by many users who worried about its implications. The new update on iOS does not mention anything about a verification process, meaning that anyone who can afford $8 could easily subscribe to get the blue checkmark. And this could give room for impersonators to get the blue tick.

Some others have accused Elon Musk of trying to turn the blue tick into a status symbol, as against a means of authentication.

Also, other users have wondered why Elon Musk is so eager to do away with the old verification system even though he had always been vocal with claims that Twitter was rife with spam accounts. In other words, introducing payment as means of getting the blue checkmark could make it possible for spam accounts to get theirs.

Note that the old verification system, which started in 2009, only verified about 423,000 Twitter users worldwide. And that’s because even the verification process was meticulous.

Despite the criticism against its overhaul, Elon Musk has insisted he would go ahead with the new subscription plan.

Elon’s controversial moves: As Nairametrics previously reported, Musk’s decision to introduce paid verification system is just one of the many controversial moves he has made since he acquired the company. For one, the whole world was shocked when, on Friday, he went ahead with plans to fire half of the company’s workforce. He explained that the company was incurring a lot of costs trying to keep a large workforce. 

Dwindling ad revenues: There have also been long-standing concerns about Twitter’s dwindling ad revenues. And this could justify some of the drastic decisions Elon Musk has made since he bought the company. Interestingly, more companies are pulling their advert budgets with the company amid Musk’s recent controversial moves.