ISLAMABAD: Elon Musk has defended his controversial Twitter pay model, claiming that any social media platform that didn’t follow suit would fail due to bots.
Musk predicted on the eve of Twitter’s April 1 deadline that verified accounts with the prestigious blue tick who had not paid would lose it. Musk stated during a Twitter Q&A session that the fundamental challenge here is that it is (easy) to create literally 10,000 or 100,000 fake Twitter accounts using only one computer at home and modern AI (artificial intelligence). Musk stated that this is why he is pushing hard for verification, which requires a credit card and a phone number from a reputable phone carrier.
The system changes put companies, journalists, and celebrities under pressure who used Twitter as their primary communication channel and relied on the blue tick for credibility. It also raises the possibility of jokesters and imposters paying for an officially verified but completely bogus account. In the United States (US), the Twitter Blue subscription plan costs $8 per month or $84 per year, or $11 per month if purchased through the app store of Apple.
Since its inception in 2009, the blue tick has become a signature element of the platform, helping it in becoming a trusted forum for newsmakers and campaigners. However, Musk and his supporters claim that fiat decided the blue check in a secretive procedure and that it symbolizes anarchy of an unfair class system.
It was Musk’s first decision to open the paid blue tick after taking over Twitter last year, but his overhaul backfired. Twitter was inundated with verified fake accounts within hours impersonating celebrities, huge companies, and even Musk himself. Musk quickly reversed his decision of paid Twitter accounts, but many advertisers left the site, denying Twitter a major means of revenue that the CEO is struggling to replace. For now, blue checks of celebrities, such as Justin Bieber and his 113m followers, or footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and his 108m, are labeled as “legacy” accounts on the site.
Many lost verified Twitter accounts
Officials, charities, and news media companies are also involved in the verified account saga. According to Axios, the White House, informed employees that it would not pay to keep the blue tick on their official Twitter profiles. Under Musk’s new system, news media companies, firms, and charities have lost their blue tick and been labeled verified business accounts. According to Twitter’s website, these are $1,000 per month in the US and $50 for each additional affiliated account.
Human Rights Watch’s European Media Director, Andrew Stroehlein, who stated that his organization would not pay for the privilege, noted that this would be disastrous for those who cannot afford the new fees. In a blog post, he added that it would undermine the effectiveness of local activists, including human rights activists who have long used Twitter for grassroots organizing.
The New York Times stated that it would not pay for a verified business account. It stated that it would only subscribe for a blue tick for journalists when it was necessary for reporting purposes. Twitter competitor Facebook is also testing the “pay to play” verification model in Australia and New Zealand, which has sparked widespread criticism. Much depends on ability of Musk to find a business model for Twitter.
