Looks like, Twitter is going through transformation post its acquisition by billionaire Elon Musk and its users are not content with the self-anointed CEO’s revisions. His decision to charge $8 for the blue tick, a verification mark on the platform, has created a global uproar.
“Twitter’s current lords & peasants system for who has or does not have a blue checkmark is bullshit. Power to people! Blue for $8/month,” Musk tweeted a day ago, instigating rage among Twitterati.
According to him, Twitter Blue subscribers will get a range of benefits such as priority in replies, mentions and searches, the ability to post long videos and audio, reduced ads, and a paywall bypass for publishers who are willing to work with Twitter.
He believes that the new system will ensure a stable revenue stream for content creators. It will tackle the $221 million yearly loss in revenue. However, several users believe that the new strategy will only make the platform an authoritarian playground. Voices of those who pay will get more traction.
How would the blue subscription affect users in India? According to Musk, the price for Blue Subscribers will be adjusted depending on the purchasing power parity (PPP) of each country. It is still unclear what the rate would be in India. The number of verified profiles in India is 4.23 lakhs. As of now, the tick is given for free. Considering the $8 fee proposed by Twitter, in India, it wouldamount to about 660 rupees per month. Twitter would get about 28.05 cr rupees additional profit every month. But, this may vary considering the purchasing power parity of India. As per the World Bank’s 2021 statistics, the PPP rate of one dollar is 23 rupees. Hence, it would be Rs 184 per month. Still, one has to wait and watch what Musk has in store for Indian Twitter users!
