Twitter Blue – What Is It?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you’ve probably come across Twitter Blue…

If you’re a regular Twitter user, you will have likely seen that little blue tick next to certain users’ names. Typically the badge is reserved for celebrities, influencers and other highly active accounts, in an attempt to show other users that these are in fact who they say they are.

Well, as of November 9th, you’ll now have to pay $7.99 per month (estimated £6.99 for the UK) for the privilege. The new Twitter Blue subscription has been introduced as part of Elon Musks’ takeover of the social media platform and has been… controversial at the least.

This was author Stephen King’s reaction to the news.

What Do You Get With The Twitter Blue Subscription?

For those who currently have a little blue tick to confirm that their account is authentic, unfortunately, you’ll have to kiss it goodbye as the introduction of the subscription service will make the badge exclusive to paying customers.

Surely that’s not all you get for the price of a roast at Toby Carvery?

Well, Twitter has announced that subscribers will be able to benefit from additional ‘coming soon’ features. These include 50% less ads, the ability to post longer videos (length not specified) and prioritised replies, meaning you’ll shoot to the top of comment threads.

And, as of now, that’s about it.

Who Can Get Twitter Blue?

The monetisation of Twitter allows anyone and everyone to crack out their cash stash and subscribe -surprise surprise. However, Twitter Blue is currently only available to iOS users, meaning you can’t sign up if you’re using Twitter on the web.

One thing is for sure, parody accounts that don’t specify that they are a parody, won’t be able to get anywhere near the service. In fact, they will be banned immediately! 

Elon provided some clarification on the matter…

What’s The Controversy?

The main topic of discussion surrounding the introduction of Twitter Blue has been whether or not users will be able to identify legitimate news sources and accounts. As the subscription is open to anyone, it’s expected that ‘fake news’ (*Donald Trump voice*) accounts will seek verification in order to spread false information.

Additionally, the fact Twitter was previously a ‘free’ platform and now has certain restrictions in place for non-paying users has certainly stirred the pot amongst avid users.

via GIPHY

What do you think about Twitter Blue?

Elon Musk never fails to make the headlines, whether it’s with outrageous products such as The Boring Company’s Flamethrower, or with his endeavours as CEO of Tesla but we want to know what you think about Twitter’s new subscription service – let us know on Facebook or LinkedIn.