Yahoo Finance Elon Musk clarifies major Twitter overhaul amid chaos
Elon Musk has given more details about a major overhaul to Twitter set to occur on 15 April, after facing criticism from users.
Mr Musk said on Tuesday that “only verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations” from 15 April, meaning only people who pay $8 per month for the Twitter Blue subscription would appear on the recommended feed.
“This is the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over,” he tweeted.
“It is otherwise a hopeless losing battle. Voting in polls will require verification for same reason.”
Mr Musk, who took over Twitter last October in a $44 billion deal, later clarified that people who were not verified could also appear in a Twitter user’s For You feed if they are followed by them.
“Forgot to mention that accounts you follow directly will also be in For You, since you have explicitly asked for them,” he wrote.
Twitter told users earlier this month that it would begin dismantling the “legacy” verified system from 1 April, with only government entities keeping a verification symbol by their user names without paying.
“To keep your blue checkmark on Twitter, individuals can sign up for Twitter Blue,” the company said.
Among those criticising the move was actor William Shatner, who tweeted Mr Musk: “I’ve been here for 15 years giving my time and witty thoughts all for bupkis. Now you’re telling me that I have to pay for something you gave me for free?”
Mr Musk responded: “It’s more about treating everyone equally. There shouldn’t be a different standard for celebrities imo.”
