Elon Musk Defends Twitter’s Paid Certification System Amid Concerns Over Fake Accounts

Elon Musk has defended his decision to charge for Twitter’s certified accounts, arguing that social networks that do not adopt his approach will eventually collapse under the weight of fake accounts. He highlighted the ease with which it is possible to create thousands of fake accounts using modern AI with a single computer. Verification will only be available through phone numbers and credit cards, Musk added, and those social networks that do not adopt similar measures will struggle to survive. The move aims to generate revenue for Twitter, which has lost more than half its value since Musk’s investment by over $40 billion. However, this approach raises concerns among users, particularly among companies, celebrities, politicians, and journalists who see the certification as proof of their credibility. The system also raises the issue of impostors who could pay for a fake certification.

Twitter’s Blue subscription, which includes the blue badge certification, costs €9.60 per month or €100.80 per year on the website. However, the prices are higher on the application, costing €11 per month and €114.99 per year due to the 30% commission taken by Apple and Google. Twitter has decided to pass this fee on to its users, and the trick is to pay the subscription on the website and then use the application.

Musk predicts that all social networks will eventually have a paid certification, and free social networks will cease to exist. Nevertheless, this approach is likely to have an impact on how Twitter users view credibility and authenticity on the platform.