TWITTER ROLLS OUT $8 MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION WITH BLUE CHECKMARK; EXPERTS RAISE GRAVE CONCERNS

Sun 06 November 2022:

Twitter has introduced a $7.99 monthly membership service that includes a blue check that is now exclusively granted to verified accounts as new owner Elon Musk updates the platform’s verification mechanism soon before the US midterm elections.

Twitter announced on Saturday that users who “sign up now” will get the blue checkmark next to their names “just like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow”, according to an update for Apple iOS devices. Verified accounts don’t seem to be losing their checks as of yet.

Anyone being able to obtain the blue check might lead to confusion and the spread of misinformation ahead of Tuesday’s elections if imposters decide to pay for the subscription and use politicians’ and electoral officials’ names.

Along with the widespread layoffs that began on Friday, many individuals are concerned that the social platform that public agencies, election boards, police departments, and news outlets rely on to keep people informed would become lawless if content moderation and verification are reduced.

The change signals the end of Twitter’s current verification mechanism, which was introduced in 2009 to prevent imitation of high-profile accounts like celebrities and politicians.

Although not perfect, the platform’s verification system has helped Twitter’s 238 million daily users decide whether the accounts they were obtaining information from were real. Experts have expressed major worries about upending the system.

Celebrities, athletes, influencers, and other prominent public figures are among the current list of verified accounts, which also includes journalists, news organizations, activists, politicians from all over the world, government institutions, and corporations and brands.

Also on Saturday, Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief Volker Turk, urged Musk in an open letter to make sure that the social network places a priority on respecting human rights.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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