Mehul Reuben DasNov 02, 2022 13:23:59 IST
After facing a lot of backlash for his decision to charge a fee of $20 from users who want to have a verified profile on Twitter and have the much coveted Twitter Blue Tick next to their names, Elon Musk finally decided to put a price tag of $8 on the feature.
Musk has doubled down on his decision to charge $8 for Twitter’s Blue Tick verified user badge, and won’t reduce the price any further, it seems. Image Credit: AFP
However, after several users of the platform continued with their protests, Elon Musk has now doubled down on his decision to charge $8 for Twitter Blue Tick and a bunch of other features.
Several users have pointed out that it makes no sense for users to pay for a service that was previously free. Furthermore, people’s tweets and responses seem to indicate that most Twitter users aren’t confident that Musk’s plan to get rid of spam/scam accounts by charging verified accounts will actually work.
Declaring that charging money for a previously free thing is a way to help the little guy is some real richest-guy-in-the-world logic https://t.co/1xsV8yRX6R
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) November 2, 2022
Dangerous times ahead, since this will just empower fake news peddlers on Twitter. We know disinformation networks have the money and can easily pay $8/month to get that blue checkmark, claim credibility, and continue spewing lies laced with hate. Tsk tsk. https://t.co/DMxqRo1tQx
— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) November 2, 2022
I’d like to spend $8/month to buy subscriptions of @nytimes, @FT and @TheEconomist instead of spending on blue tick. https://t.co/igURrWLPio
— Umar Cheema (@UmarCheema1) November 2, 2022
I’ll pass. I already see an uptick in anonymous bots posting hateful messages, conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic rants on the platform you now control. Give YOU money? I think not. #uspoli #bcpoli https://t.co/LkuWXQGG28
— Keith Baldrey (@keithbaldrey) November 2, 2022
$8 dollars a month for a blue checkmark is bullshit and will create lords and peasants on the twitter streets. I have no problem losing it and remaining a peasant! https://t.co/x4WbAlJgkU
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi SC (@ahmednasirlaw) November 2, 2022
Clearly, people are not impressed with Musk’s idea of charging users any amount for their verified Twitter Blue Tick. The thing is though, Musk isn’t charging the $8 fee just for the Twitter Blue Tick but for a series of other features as well, and most of these features add some sort of value.
Bypassing paywalls, for instance, will allow users to access exclusive content from certain publications that Twitter will partner with. Users would normally have to pay separately if they want to consume such content. Twitter of course needs to pay those publishers for the content that users will consume.
Furthermore, users will also get a ton of different features some of which will be exclusive to Twitter Blue Tick holders. Moreover, Musk is not charging anyone a fee just to be on the platform. The fee is only for people who wish to have a verified badge, and have access to a set of niche features.
However, the biggest difference that Twitter’s new model will make is for the creators on the platform. By charging a relatively small fee from a select number of users who are very regular and serious regarding the platform, Twitter will be able to help these users back by rewarding creators for their content.
If Musk’s record with Tesla is anything to go by, this won’t be the first time when a common feature is put behind a paid subscription. It will be interesting to see, what Musk does next with Twitter, and what other feature he plans to put up behind a paywall.
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