Elon Musk responded to a Tweet from ” @WSBChairman ” in which he was describing a pay-for-play scheme on Twitter as it relates to verification badges. This conversation came about because of the controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s plan to charge a monthly fee for the “blue check” verification mark. Celebrities such as Stephen King and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) scoffed at the plan. King said he would leave the platform and AOC labeled the plan as “paying” for “free speech”. In reality, Elon Musk’s subscription plan makes more sense than what was allegedly happening behind the scenes.
WSBChairman tweeted that Twitter employees were quietly charging people upwards of $15,000 for the privilege of being verified. Here is how the scheme allegedly worked. An account holder would submit the necessary documentation to become verified. Their application would be denied and shortly thereafter, they would be contacted by a Twitter employee directly. Usually through direct messages. The employee would then offer to verify them in an expedited fashion for a certain sum of money. Some people said the price was $15,000, some said $12,000, and another person even said $26,000.
It is safe to say that some people paid this exorbitant price. There is a tremendous value that verification on Twitter with a lot of followers gives a person, especially a person who makes a living online. Those very same people who paid a large amount of money to become verified are most likely some of the biggest opponents of Musk’s new plan. Because they feel like they overpaid and everyone else should pay like them. Then there are people who look at the verification badge as a class symbol because they understand what it took for them to get it. If a person did not pay cash money to become verified, they may have had a connection whether political or within Twitter itself.
SOURCES:
Elon Musk mocks AOC’s take on Twitter subscription fee
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Suddenly Having Problems With Twitter After Fighting Elon | The New Republic
Musk mocks AOC, others angry over price for Twitter blue check | Fox Business
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says her Twitter was ‘bricked’ after criticising Elon Musk over verification payment – ABC News
Elon Musk Says Twitter Loses $4M a Day, Had ‘No Choice’ Over Job Cuts
AOC and Stephen King lash out at Elon Musk’s $8 Twitter verification fee. Gen Z weighs in | Fox News
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