FILE - Businessman Elon Musk has been touting the idea of Twitter Blue. The concept is based on the idea of a premium subscription-based version on the social network. In this March 14, 2019 file photo, Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks before unveiling the Model Y at the company's design studio in Hawthorne, Calif.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Johannesburg - Businessman and Twitter shareholder Elon Musk has the social network's users glued to his tweets after toying with a series of ideas to transform the platform.
In the latest of a barrage of posts aimed at spearheading changes to the microblog, Musk has been touting the idea of Twitter Blue. The concept is based on the idea of a premium subscription-based version on the social network, which comes with a neat blue tick next to a user's handle.
"Everyone who signs up for Twitter Blue (i.e. pays $3/month) should get an authentication checkmark," Musk said in a now-deleted tweet.
This, in effect, means users will be able to buy the sought-after verification for a monthly fee.
Across all social networks, the accompanying blue tick indicating a verified account was initially reserved for celebrities, brands, athletes and profiles, reasonably well-known to the general public.
The sought-after verification badge, associated with social media clout or influence, is seen across other platforms from Meta, such as Facebook and Instagram and even other platforms, like short-form video app TikTok.
Offering the "Mama, I made it" bragging rights, scores of local celebrities, brands and public figures don the current blue tick on Twitter. However, the question arising is whether the verification badge will lose its credibility if it can be purchased.
The proposal by Musk comes at the tail end of a series of suggested changes by the business magnate and as part of his plan to revamp the 14-year-old social network with the introduction of Twitter Blue.
Musk intends for Twitter Blue to become a premium version of the platform. He later reconsidered a monthly fee estimated at $2 per month - a few cents shy of R30, given today's exchange rate at the time of publishing.
"Price should probably be ~$2/month, but paid 12 months upfront & account doesn't get checkmark for 60 days (watch for CC chargebacks) & suspended with no refund if used for scam/spam," he said in a more recent tweet.
Price should probably be ~$2/month, but paid 12 months up front & account doesn’t get checkmark for 60 days (watch for CC chargebacks) & suspended with no refund if used for scam/spam
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 10, 2022
Earlier this month, Musk became a major Twitter shareholder acquiring more than 9% of the social network's shares.
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