Twitter is exploring a plan wherein users will have to cough up a fee to remain verified on the service, according to a report by Platformer. The report added that the plan is to compel users to subscribe to Twitter Blue (available at $4.99 a month) or lose their badges. Moreover, the microblogging platform’s new owner, Elon Musk, has imposed a deadline to introduce paid verification by November 7, 2022, The Verge revealed. The report added that Twitter’s employees will be fired if they do not meet this deadline. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1586848033550934016?t=R0DkX52JW1dnE3oRvGCmBw&s=19 Why it matters: Twitter’s verification, including its blue tick, is a coveted one and has been available for free so far. It has helped people, especially journalists, authenticate their profiles which helps disseminate information in a reliable fashion. It has met with some criticism as many people have complained that their requests were rejected despite meeting the platform’s criteria. It is a significant development in the context of India and its plans to compel social media intermediaries to have the option to verify every user under the IT Rules, 2021. What else do we know: Musk reportedly wants to overhaul Twitter Blue and make it into a more costly subscription that also verifies users, The Verge said in its report. The platform is planning to charge $19.99 for the new subscription once it is released, the report said. It also said that verified users will have 90 days to subscribe or lose their blue checkmark. What about India: It is…
