Getting a coveted blue tick on Twitter will now cost $8 (£7) per month, Elon Musk has said, as he tries to revamp the social media app with a whirlwind of product changes and a staff overhaul.
The Tesla billionaire said the verification check mark, which was typically granted for free to celebrities, journalists, brands and public figures to show they were genuine, would soon incur a fee.
The world’s richest man, who acquired Twitter in a $44bn deal after a bitter legal battle, had been considering charging as much as $20 per month, according to reports. He had taken to Twitter asking how much people would be willing to pay for a subscription to the social network.
In posts on Twitter on Tuesday, Mr Musk also said the premium subscription, called Twitter Blue, would offer priority replies and cut down on adverts. It would also allow users to access some news articles that are hidden behind paywalls.
Mr Musk said the subscription would include “paywall bypass for publishers willing to work with us”.
The billionaire’s comments come as he makes a flurry of changes to Twitter in a whirlwind week at the social media company.
Multiple senior executives have quit or been dismissed, including the company’s chief executive, its head of finance, head of legal and its entire board. On Tuesday, its head of diversity announced she had resigned from the company on Friday.
Many Twitter staff are working under the threat of being fired, according to multiple reports, with demands they prepare products for launch to tight deadlines or risk being sacked.
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