Elon Musk’s plan to charge for verification checkmarks on Twitter has caused a lot of controversy, but it seems things could go much further than that. According to new reporting from The Verge, Musk is considering a paywall for all of Twitter, requiring a subscription fee for every user. Sources for the outlet could not confirm how seriously Musk is considering it, but the idea is that users might have a limited amount of free browsing time each month. As The Verge notes however, if the idea is implemented, it wouldn’t come until after the changes to Twitter Blue are implemented.
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Musk spent $44 billion to purchase Twitter, and seems desperate to recoup his investment. His plan to charge for Twitter verification has led to widespread condemnation from Twitter’s community, most notably celebrities, journalists, and public figures. Musk considers verification a privilege, while others have correctly pointed out that the blue checkmarks prevent others from impersonating them. Musk dropped his proposed $20/month fee for Twitter Blue down to $8/month after Stephen King refused to pay, but the author (and other users) aren’t budging. Verified Twitter users have begun openly mocking Musk’s verification plans by changing their names to “Elon Musk” while mocking the Twitter owner, resulting in a number of bans and a change to Twitter’s policies.
Given the massive pushback against the plans for Twitter Blue, it will be interesting to see what happens if Musk does decide to put Twitter behind a paywall. A number of creators use the platform to reach bigger audiences and are the main reason that Twitter has become so successful. However, the move would likely drive them away to other platforms like Instagram or Mastodon. Musk has already claimed that a number of advertisers have abandoned Twitter, and less users will mean even less advertising revenue. Between the company’s lay offs just a few days ago and all of the proposed changes to Twitter, the platform’s future isn’t looking good at the moment.ย
Would you pay just to access Twitter’s basic features? Do you plan on leaving the social media platform? Letus know in the comments or share directly on Twitterat @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
