Elon Musk he will pay dollars 8 per month for TwitterBlue, the social paid service that will become a prerequisite for having the verified profile. This was announced by the new owner of the twittering company that seeks to increase subscriptions and make the social network less dependent on advertisements.
After killing the entire board of the social platform, and remaining the only administrator, evaluating the dismissal of 25% of the company's 7.000 employees, Musk returns to create havoc on his new purchase: "Power to the people! Blue for $8 a month,” he tweeted, adding that the price is adjusted to the country based on purchasing power parity.
The billionaire added that paid users will get the response priorities, in mentions and searches, as well as the possibility of post long videos and audios. And he also proposed a "paywall bypass for publishers willing to work" with social media. “This will also give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators,” explained the Tesla patron.
The Q&A between Musk and Stephen King on Twitter Blue
The clarification of Musk follows the controversy following the rumors about a possible cost of the service of 19,99 dollars a month against the current 4,99 dollars. “To all those complaining, keep doing it, but it will cost $8,” he added. “We have to pay the bills somehow! Twitter he can't rely on advertising alone,” the billionaire tweeted in response to the author's criticism Stephen King, who wrote in response to news of the changes that Twitter "should pay me instead."
Musk, Twitter Blue at $8 a month: how will it change?
“I will explain the rationale in detail before” the new model is adopted, adds the billionaire according to which his idea is “the only way to defeat bots and trolls”. Since he took charge of the social network by completing the $ 44 billion acquisition, the billionaire has been working full time to lay the foundations of the new Twitter.
Paid blue ticks: is it a good idea?
Until last year it had been possible to obtain the blue check for free, after submitting to a short online application form that requests documents and evidence that the applicant is eligible. The category eligible to apply for the blue check were: government and public offices, news organizations and media workers, businesses, brands and organisations, entertainment, sports and video games, activists and organisers, content creators and influencers. The company introduced the system in 2009 after facing a lawsuit accusing it of not doing enough to prevent fake accounts. According to the Guardian newspaper, there were around 2021 verified users on Twitter in 400.000.
Secondo Musk this system that distinguishes between those who can get the blue check and those who don't is similar to a system of "Lords and peasants", and for this it must be dismantled. However, according to some experts put a payment the blue check will cause the opposite result. The blue check had been created precisely to distinguish public people (or those who hold a relevant role for the public) from any imposters. But with the paid blue check, some of the people who are currently verified may decide not to pay, and thus no longer be verified. This could create confusion and problems of reliability of the information circulating on the social network.
Big brands suspend advertising on Twitter
Meanwhile, big brands have temporarily suspended advertising on the platform waiting to see how Musk's changes play out. A media buyer from a major advertising company told the BBC.
Between these General MotorsTesla's electric-car rival said last week it would suspend advertising on the site.
On Monday October 31, one of the largest advertising companies in the world, IPG, advised his clients to suspend ads on Twitter for a week, citing the need for greater clarity on Twitter plans to ensure “trust and safety” on the platform. IPG receives billions of pounds a year from some of the world's biggest brands to manage their marketing budgets.
