Elon Musk Defends Twitter’s Paid Plan For Blue Checkmark.

• Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, reached an agreement with Twitter and bought the social media platform for $44Billion.

• His launch of a paid subscription service to verify user accounts was much criticized by users and he defended his decision on Sunday.

• Under the new plan, users paying $8 per month for the platform’s subscription service, Twitter Blue, would receive the network’s famous blue checkmark that signals a verified account.

• This feature is currently available only to eligible accounts, such as public figures, in what Musk described as a “lords and peasants system.”

Elon Musk, Twitter’s new owner, defended his much-criticized launch of a paid subscription service to verify user accounts on Sunday.

Musk, who took over Twitter in late October, announced plans for sweeping changes to the company, already firing several top executives.

Under the new plan, users paying $8 per month for the platform’s subscription service, Twitter Blue, would receive the network’s famous blue checkmark that signals a verified account.

Twitter’s Blue Checkmark

This feature is currently available only to eligible accounts, such as public figures, in what Musk described as a “lords and peasants system.”

According to the New York Times, the social network’s app on iPhones already mentions the new service, but its launch has been pushed back to Wednesday, the day after the US midterm elections.

“Widespread verification will democratize journalism and empower the voice of the people,” he tweeted, in response to fears expressed by associations, advertisers, and even the United Nations about an increase in hate speech and misinformation on the network. But many observers fear the eruption of fake accounts.

Musk also targeted those impersonating others on the platform, as several users who changed their username to variations of “Elon Musk” appeared to have their accounts suspended.

“Any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying ‘parody’ will be permanently suspended going forward,” Musk tweeted, adding that pseudonyms were permitted as long as users did not “engage in malicious deception.”