Twitter is relaunching its fraught “Twitter Blue” program a month after the bungled rollout of the subscription service under latest owner Elon Musk.
“We’re relaunching @TwitterBlue on Monday — subscribe on web for $8/month or on iOS for $11/month to get access to subscriber-only features, including the blue checkmark,” Twitter’s official account tweeted late Saturday afternoon.
In a thread, the corporate rattled off additional advantages users would receive, including the power to edit tweets, reader mode, and a blue check mark following a review.
Twitter also clarified that the second “official” label would soon get replaced by a gold checkmark for business and a gray checkmark for presidency and “multilateral” accounts.
“Thanks on your patience as we’ve worked to make Blue higher – we’re excited and searching forward to sharing more with you soon!” the corporate said.
Twitter Blue, which Musk marketed in November as a way of democratizing the once-coveted blue check, quickly bumped into some embarrassing hiccups with its previous debut.
Twitter revealed subscribers would have the opportunity to edit tweets and have a blue check mark following a review.
Critics lampooned the concept of paying for the blue check mark, which was previously used mainly to authenticate celebrities, government officials and other public figures. Pranksters, meanwhile, purchased the $8 monthly subscription and created a slew of accounts parodying corporations and celebrities, which were mistaken by many as the actual accounts as a consequence of the blue checkmarks.
In a single case, a user purchased a Twitter Blue subscription for an impostor account of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, then announced that it might make insulin free for all customers. Lilly’s stock tanked soon after. In one other, an imposter account designed to appear like LeBron James’ longstanding Twitter handle claimed the star demanded to be traded away from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Twitter responded by suspending this system just days after the launch.
Elon Musk marketed Twitter Blue as a way of democratizing the blue checkmark.dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
The social media company said Saturday that Twitter Blue subscribers who change their image, name or photo will temporarily lose their verification until their account is reviewed again, in what appears to be an try and crack down on the confusion over the parody accounts.
Twitter also revealed on Saturday the brand new rules surrounding how the social media giant would handle hateful language.
