Twitter to charge Sh2,500 monthly for verified accounts: reports

Just days after the world’s richest man Elon Musk took charge of Twitter, he is reportedly considering turning the verification feature into a subscription service.

This would essentially mean charging users a monthly Sh2,428 ($20) fee to keep the blue ticks.

Musk announced the development in a tweet on Sunday, just days after he took over one of the world's most influential social media platforms.

"Whole verification process is being revamped right now", Musk said in his tweet without giving more details.

But The Verge reported that Twitter's proposed changes could allow those who are not verified to purchase the coveted blue badge.

Currently, Twitter only grants verified status to notable accounts from a "prominently recognised individual or brand."

According to the report in The Verge, Twitter accounts that already have the verification will have to comply with this new mechanism and pay up for the blue tick.

The report suggests that verified users will have a total of 90 days to move to Twitter Blue or they will end up losing their checkmark.

Additionally, Twitter employees have been asked to move fast on this new subscription plan or pack and leave. The employees have been given a deadline of November 7, according to the report.

Premium features

Twitter Blue was introduced last year and it is an opt-in, paid monthly subscription that offers exclusive access to premium features. Twitter claims this will let you customise your Twitter experience.

It is to be seen how Musk plans to roll out this service globally while changing the entire payment structure.

In the eligible regions, Twitter Blue is available for in-app purchases on Twitter for iOS and Android.

Verification is meant to let "let people know that an account of public interest is authentic. To receive the blue badge, your account must be authentic, notable, and active."

Currently, there is no charge to be verified, as it is meant to simply be a way to stop accounts from impersonating you if your account has been proven to be of public interest.

It is currently unclear if this new plan will verify everyone who has a Twitter Blue subscription or if only those who pay the subscription fee will be considered for verification.

Musk has been outspoken about his desire to address how Twitter verifies accounts and handles its bots problem.

He tweeted on Sunday, October 30, that "the whole verification process is being revamped right now."

Twitter Blue was launched in June last year as the platform's first subscription service, which offers "exclusive access to premium features" on a monthly subscription basis including an option to edit tweets.