There has been unending buzz about Twitter and its new policy requiring certain cadres of subscribers to pay for the verification badge.
Since Elon Musk took over the social media platform, a lot of changes have rubbed users the wrong way. The latest is the requirement for users to pay for the blue check mark granted to influential individuals and organizations.
The new guideline was supposed to take effect on April 1, 2023, (Fools Day), but there appears to be no clear direction or new communication on the way forward. What has come out clearly is that this move has not gone down well with several high-profile users. Several celebrities, journalists, and media houses have categorically said that they will not be paying $8 per month or $11, depending on the category.
The New York Times lost its blue verification badge after it refused after indicating that it would not be paying for it. African CNN Correspondent Larry Madowo is also among celebrities who have said he wouldn’t be paying for the badge. Others include LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes II, Darius Slay, Monica Lewinsky, and William Shatner. The Twitter CEO has also said that the site will also add the date of verification to the user profile.
Twitter hasn’t been the same since Musk took over, with several radical changes that included firing several core members of the team. It remains to be seen what direction the company takes with Musk telling off critics who question some of the changes.
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