Just a few days into Elon Musk’s new leadership role, Twitter is making major changes, with “Chief Twit” issuing its first ultimatum to employees: meet deadlines to introduce paid verification or terminate contracts.
Under the new directive, Twitter Blue – the company’s optional $4.99-a-month subscription service that offers additional features – will be expanded to include verification for users, The Verge report.
Twitter Blue subscription service for $20 per month, including account verification
The social media network is planning to charge $19.99 for the new Twitter Blue subscription service, with currently verified users having 90 days to sign up or lose their blue check mark.
On Sunday, employees working on the project were told that if they didn’t meet the November 7 deadline, they would be fired. That same day, Musk tweeted about improving the entire verification process.
Some news from inside Elon’s war room: Twitter is strongly considering asking verified users to pay $4.99 a month to keep their badges.
Many questions remain. Subscribe to read ➡️https://t.co/vXm4wLbhBm pic.twitter.com/8LkpKTHTuv
– Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) October 30, 2022
“The entire verification process is being revised right now,” Musk tweeted on Sunday.
In the months leading up to the Twitter acquisition, the Tesla CEO made it clear that he planned to overhaul the verification process and how the platform handles bots.
News of changes to Twitter’s verification process was first reported by Minerby Casey Newton. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the social network did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Elon Musk Creates sweeping changes, spreading on Twitter in just a few days becoming a new leadership position
With just three days to go from his term as “Director of Twit,” Musk has made sweeping changes across the company since acquiring the company on Thursday, the first being a change to the home page for users. logged out.
Elon Musk on the biggest problems facing Twitter right now. pic.twitter.com/ua40nsxjCHILD
– T (w) itter News takeover (@TitterTakeover) October 30, 2022
Musk has even taken Tesla engineers to Twitter as advisers, with mass layoffs expected in the near future – specifically aimed at middle managers and engineers, who hasn’t recently contributed to the codebase, according to The Verge.
The Outlet reports that managers have begun making lists of employees to lay off, with the cuts expected to begin this week.
Since Musk bought the company last week, employees have been working through the night and through the weekend to meet deadlines.
Twitter Blue launched almost a year ago in an attempt to offer ad-free articles along with other minor account upgrades.
Advertising remains a large share of Twitter’s revenue, despite offering paid subscription services. Musk said he’s looking to grow the subscription base to account for half of the company’s total revenue.
