Twitter Considering Charging Verified Users to Keep Blue Check Marks

By Adam Barnhardt

Elon Musk has officially completed his takeover of Twitter and changes are coming down with every passing moment. Sunday, news broke that Musk and his new leadership at the social network are thinking about beginning to charge verified users a monthly rate to have access to the iconic blue check mark and the associated benefits that come with it. While the earliest reporting suggested verified accounts would be lumped into Twitter's monthly subscription service Twitter Blue, The Verge is now reporting those who have the check may need to pay upwards of $20 per month to keep it.

The latest reports say Twitter Blue prices will soon be increased to $19.99 per month, and the ability to keep a verified check mark will be folded into the subscription. Musk has yet to comment on the exact pricing, though he has since confirmed the verification process is being "revamped." Those who opt to not subscribe to Twitter Blue will reportedly have 90 days from the time the new service launches until they lose the check mark.

During some of the most divisive times in the American political sphere, Twitter previously halted new verified accounts to help combat the spread of misinformation. Within the past two years, however, the microblogging service brought back the process—one meant to inform users which tweeters are legitimate accounts such as politicians, journalists, and entertainment account.

Outside of firing much of the company's C-suite, charging verified users to remain that way would end up as Musk's biggest Twitter change yet. When the deal was first announced, Musk reportedly told financiers that the company would charge users to quote tweet verified accounts. The same goes for publishers, Musk said, who opted to embed tweets on their websites.

Since Musk's deal closed, the trading of Twitter stock has ceased as the serial entrepreneur works to take the company private. When all was said and done, Musk paid $44 billion for the service.

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