Hours after Twitter’s new owner; Elon Musk began unrolling its ‘paid’ blue tick, Olivier Veran, French minister and government spokesperson, said on Sunday (November 6) that he will not pay USD 7.99 a month fee for account verification. He added that he had concerns about the ambitions of the social media platform’s new owner Elon Musk.
Since 2009, blue-checked accounts had been distributed to users through a verification process as a way to separate authentic accounts from impersonators.
On Saturday, Twitter began updating its app in Apple’s App Store and started charging for the blue checkmarks. This is the first major revision since Musk took over on October 28.
Twitter said those who “sign up now” can receive the checkmark next to their user names, “just like the celebrities, companies, and politicians you already follow”.
“I invite them to decertify my account without delay if they consider that this is something that one has to start paying for,” Veran told France 3 television.
Before Musk took over, a blue checkmark next to a user name meant Twitter had confirmed the account belonged to the person or company claiming it.
Veran even said he was not sure he would continue to use Twitter following Musk’s takeover. He agreed that it was a major communication tool but added, “The fact that this major global tool belongs to one man, and that he displays ambitions that worry me a bit – at least some of them – means that I will remain vigilant and that I will take my own responsibilities if necessary.”
Veran has a verified Twitter account with a blue checkmark. The former health minister has nearly 425,000 followers.
The once-free blue check mark given to verified accounts on Twitter will soon be available to any Twitter Blue user who pays $7.99 per month. The new model is raising alarm about the consequences the system could have on disinformation.