Elon Musk says Twitter’s verified service with color will start next week According to Reuters
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The Twitter app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
(Reuters) -Twitter Inc is planning to roll out a verified service next Friday with different color checks to individuals, companies and governments, after a failed initial launch leading to an increase in users impersonating celebrities and brands on the platform.
CEO Elon Musk on Friday allotted colors to categories – yellow for companies, gray for government and blue check for individuals including celebrities.
“It is painful, but necessary,” he said, adding that verified accounts will be manually validated before checks are activated.
He said in another tweet on Friday that the refurbished $8-a-month service would allow individuals to have a smaller, sub-logo of their organization if verified by them. “Longer explanation next week.”
The social media platform on Monday delayed its relaunch to make it legible as the service is expected to help Twitter boost revenue at a time when Musk is trying to keep advertisers in check. reported after buying the company last month for $44 billion.
The subscription service, which Musk called a “great upgrader,” was halted on November 11 as fake accounts mushroomed, forcing the world’s richest man to return his badge. “official” for some users.
For example, a user posing as drug manufacturers Eli Lilly (NYSE:) and Co tweeted that insulin would be free, sending the company’s stock down and forcing the company to issue an apology.
The turmoil has prompted several companies including General Motors (NYSE: New York) and United Airlines to pause or withdraw advertising on the platform. However, user growth on Twitter is at an all-time high, according to Musk.
