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Twitter, the popular social media platform, has been heavily promoting its subscription service, Twitter Blue, which offers users access to exclusive features and a verified blue badge. In a bid to persuade more users to sign up for the service, Twitter has announced that it will no longer recommend tweets from unverified accounts, and non-Blue subscribers will no longer be able to vote in polls.
The announcement was made by Elon Musk, who owns Twitter, on Monday. Musk stated that the changes would come into effect on April 15, and only verified accounts would be eligible to have their tweets displayed in the For You tab, which is used to suggest content.
But that’s not all. Musk also tweeted that accounts not subscribed to Twitter Blue would no longer be able to vote in polls. He argued that this was “the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over”.
These changes follow Twitter’s recent move to make the Twitter Blue subscription available globally. Shortly after this announcement, the company stated that legacy verified users would lose their badge on April 1 if they did not sign up for the subscription service. In the United States, the subscription costs $8 per month, or $11 if you sign up via the iOS app.
Twitter’s decision to limit certain features to Blue subscribers has been met with some criticism. Some users have expressed concerns that this could create a two-tier system, where those who can afford to pay for the service receive certain privileges. Others have argued that these changes could make Twitter less inclusive and less democratic.
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However, Musk defended the changes, stating that they were necessary to address the issue of AI bot swarms taking over. Twitter has faced criticism in the past for failing to effectively address issues such as harassment and misinformation on its platform, and these changes may be an attempt to address some of these concerns.
It remains to be seen how these changes will affect Twitter’s user base and engagement. Some users may be deterred by the subscription fee, while others may be attracted to the exclusive features and verified badges. Twitter will need to carefully balance the need to generate revenue with the need to maintain an engaged and inclusive user base.