Twitter rolls out new $8 a month Blue Membership

Twitter released an upgraded version of its $7.99 monthly Twitter Blue membership service. Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, insisted that the new subscription, which costs $5 per year instead of the previous $4.99, be made available.

Before settling on $8, Musk had proposed a $20 pricing range for Twitter Blue. Ad-free content for Twitter Blue members is eliminated with the new subscription, but the same blue and white badge that Twitter previously only allowed for verified accounts is also included.

Musk, who this morning referred to the badge as “the great leveler,” promised to make it available to all Twitter users. He has voiced his displeasure that only high-profile users who run the risk of being impersonated on social media, such as public figures, businesses, celebrities, journalists, and others, are eligible for the verification badge.

Even though the blue badge is no longer used as a verification symbol, it is still unknown whether Twitter will provide a way of identity verification. 

Earlier, Twitter began labeling some verified accounts as “Official,” but Musk claimed to have “killed” the service, so it’s unclear how things stand now. As of right now, accounts that had verification before the launch of the new Twitter Blue maintain their verification badges, but Musk has stated that those who do not pay, will be withdrawn.

Additionally, “half the ads,” the capacity to publish lengthier videos, and access to new Twitter Blue features will all be included in Twitter Blue. Some have predicted that Twitter Blue, with its $7.99 price tag and 50% fewer advertisements, may wind up losing Twitter money. This is especially true for users who sign up for Twitter Blue using the iOS app since Twitter will have to pay Apple a portion of the membership fee.

In a meeting with Twitter advertisers, Musk also discussed his ideas for moderation and upcoming features. He stated that while Twitter should respect freedom of speech, opinions “don’t need to be amplified,” and that the company aims to create a content moderation council to make judgments about policies.

Musk suggested that users would someday be able to transmit money to one another on the network and possibly link their Twitter accounts to their bank accounts. Twitter is also developing infrastructure for longer-form video, including options for content creator payment. In the upcoming months, Twitter will undergo a lot of change, and mistakes may be made, according to Musk.

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