Twitter is already testing its $8 per month verification plan
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There’s been a lot of activity on Twitter since Elon Musk took over the platform for a cool $44 billion — and the controversial change to the social network’s authentication system is now being tested in the Twitter app for iOS.
An iOS app update released over the weekend (via Engadget (opens in new tab) and others) introduced the ability to pay $7.99 per month for a blue check. It is sold as part of a Twitter Blue subscription, which is already available in some countries for $4.99 per month, but without the verification included.
After some users reported having issues with the new paid plan, another tweet (opens in new tab) from Twitter’s Esther Crawford suggested that the feature was still in its “testing phase” and not yet fully implemented.
Verify or not verify
The new approach to account verification has already attracted a lot of negative press. Previously, the blue check marks—confirming real accounts operated by real people—were given out for free after a manual review process.
Another change in Twitter’s latest iOS app update puts a Verified tab on the Notifications screen, meaning replies from verified users appear before everything else. This may be to reduce the impact of bots and spammers, although presumably many bots and spammers will have the money to pay the $8 per month anyway.
Also this weekend Elon Musk tweeted (opens in new tab) its intention to introduce the ability to add long text notes to tweets, eliminating the need to screen large blocks of text. Creators will eventually be able to monetize this content, Musk says.
Analysis: Twitter changes beyond recognition
We knew a lot of changes were coming when Elon Musk took over Twitter, but few people could have predicted the speed at which they would be implemented. We see major shifts in fundamental aspects of the platform after just a few days.
We’ve written before about how flawed the new paid verification system is: Many people who really need to prove their identity online aren’t rich, while many bad actors have enough money to fund a blue check. However, it looks like the new system is now almost being implemented.
There is clearly a lot to fix at Twitter, and admittedly, the current verification process is frustrating in its own way. The platform doesn’t make enough money from ads and the majority of content on Twitter is generated by a minority of users – not a healthy situation for an app that relies on engagement.
In other words, Musk faces a formidable challenge: Major changes are certainly needed, but whether the calls being made now are the right ones — or delivered at the right speed — remains to be seen.