Twitter may begin charging its users up to $20 per month as part of the new changes by the new CEO of the micro-blogging site, Elon Musk.
Mr Musk is reportedly considering making verification a Twitter Blue feature and increasing the subscription service’s cost. This could mean charging users a monthly $20 fee to retain their blue tick badge.
The Verge reported that there are also plans to increase the Twitter Blue subscription from $4.99 monthly to $19.99 per month. The report disclosed that employees were given an ultimatum to complete this project by a deadline, or else they would be sacked.
“Employees working on the project were told on Sunday that they need to meet a deadline of November 7th to launch the feature or they will be fired,” the Verge said.
Twitter currently grants verified status to notable accounts from a “prominently recognised individual or brand” to fight disinformation and impersonation.
On Sunday, Mr Musk tweeted, “The whole verification process is being revamped right now.”
Former CEO Parag Agrawal and several other top executives, including Ned Segal, Vijaya Gadde, and Sean Edgett, were fired on Thursday.
Mr Musk had told prospective investors that as part of his deal to buy Twitter, he would get rid of nearly 75 per cent of the company’s 7,500 workers.
