Twitter's new owner Elon Musk has announced the platform's coveted 'blue tick' will now cost users US$8 (€8) a month.
He also criticised the current verification system as "bulls***".
In a tweet himself, Musk said: "Twitter's current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark is bulls***.
"Power to the people! Blue for $8/month."
Musk said the cost would be "adjusted by country, proportionate to purchasing power parity".
Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is bullshit.
Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022
For the new monthly fee, he said users would get "priority in replies, mentions and searches" as well as the ability to post long videos and audio clips.
The charge would give the platform a "revenue stream to reward content creators," he added.
The blue tick, next to a person's Twitter account, lets users know that an account of public interest is authentic.
A photo illustration show the official profile of Elon Musk on the social network Twitter in April 2022. Picture by: SOPA Images Limited / Alamy Stock PhotoTo receive the blue badge, Twitter stipulates an account must be "authentic, notable, and active". There is a six-step verification process.
It is also reported that accounts, which already have blue tick verification, will have to sign up to the Twitter Blue subscription model to keep it; though this was not confirmed by Musk.
Last month, Musk completed a US$44 billion buyout of the social media platform, with a self-proclaimed remit to ensure everyone's timeline becomes the home of free speech.
The announcement came after Twitter's advertising chief, Sarah Personette, said she had joined a number of executives parting ways with the company.
Hi folks, I wanted to share that I resigned on Friday from Twitter and my work access was officially cut off last night.
— Sarah Personette (@SEP) November 1, 2022
Ms Personette, who was chief customer officer, tweeted that she had resigned on Friday.
This followed other high-profile departures including former chief executive Parag Agrawal and chief financial officer Ned Segal, who Musk fired last week.
