Twitter Launches Update That Lets You Pay for Verification Badge | Science and technology news

Twitter has started rolling out its revamped subscription service, allowing anyone to pay for a verification badge.

An update to the platform’s iOS app, launched on Saturday, says the new look Twitter Blue is now live and the tick on your account is listed under the perks for paying $7.99 per month.

“Power to the people: Your account will get a blue tick, along with the celebrities, businesses, and politicians you already follow,” it says.

It’s available in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where Twitter Blue was already available.

While the update says the feature is also available in the UK, it doesn’t appear to be live yet.

Other features promised to be “coming soon” include half the ads, the ability to post longer videos and a priority ranking for content posted to the platform.

The Blue Tick verification system was previously developed to help users identify authentic, influential users on the platform, such as: B. Government officials, athletes, journalists and brands.

Musk defends verification change

New owner Elon Musk appears to be trying to diversify the company’s revenue streams following its $44 billion acquisition.

“Far too many outdated “verified” ticks have been thrown around, often at random, so they’re actually *not* verified. You can now buy as many as you want with a Google search,” he tweeted on Saturday.

“Piggybacking the payment system plus Apple/Android is a much better way to ensure verification.

“Once we confirm it’s working well in the first few countries and we’ve completed the translation work, it’ll be rolled out globally.”

Esther Crawford, Twitter’s early-stage product manager, has tried to clarify that despite the app update, the new Twitter Blue has not yet fully rolled out.

“The new Blue isn’t live yet – the sprint to our launch is ongoing, but some people may see us update because we’re testing and driving changes in real-time,” she said in a tweet.

It comes just a day after the social network began laying off thousands of its employees.

Workers at risk of losing their jobs in the UK were given three days to nominate a representative for a formal consultation on their employment.

Workers in the UK have been told that the company plans to inform and consult workers’ representatives ahead of potential redundancies, as required by labor law.