Elon Musk’s proposal to charge Twitter users a monthly subscription to have their accounts verified is being rebuffed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The New York Democrat tweeted on Tuesday night, “Lmao at a billionaire seriously attempting to sell folks on the concept that “free expression” is actually an $8/mo membership plan.”
However, Musk disclosed the shift in a thread earlier in the day, stating that Twitter Blue for $8 a month would offer “power to the people.” Musk said that Twitter was considering proposals to levy a $20 monthly verification fee.
Musk called Twitter’s existing “lords [and]peasants system” for determining who has or does not have a blue checkmark “b———-,” adding that the cost would vary by country.
Paying users will also see half as many adverts, have precedence in answers, mentions, and searches, and have access to posting lengthy movies and audio.
The paywall will be overcome for publishers who are “ready to collaborate with [Twitter],” according to Musk, and there will be a “secondary tag below the name for someone who is a public figure.”
This would also provide Twitter with a source of income to compensate content producers, he added.
Both those with blue checks and those without have criticized the announcement.
Some claimed that rather than paying the new Twitter leader money, they would just screenshot the blue checks on their profiles.
Author Stephen King criticized the notion of a $20 verification fee earlier on Tuesday.
“Keep my blue check for $20 every month? They should compensate me, f—- that. If that becomes law, I’m out like Enron “Tweets from King.
“We must find a way to pay the bills!” Musk answered. “Twitter can’t only rely on sponsors. Consider $8.”
