Twitter Users Reject Elon Musk's Paid Verification Plan in New Poll
An overwhelming majority of Twitter users say they refuse to pay a monthly fee for a blue verification check mark. High-profile figures like Stephen King loudly criticize the proposed subscription model.
A recent Twitter poll shows that four out of five users refuse to pay a monthly fee for the platform's blue verification check mark. With over 800,000 responses, the survey indicates massive resistance to Elon Musk's plan to charge a minimum of $5 per month for the feature. This overwhelming pushback deals a significant blow to Musk's strategy to monetize the social network.
High-profile users lead the charge against the proposed subscription model. Acclaimed author Stephen King loudly dismisses the idea, stating he refuses to pay $20 a month and threatens to leave the platform entirely. Other prominent voices compare the paid verification to buying superficial features on dating apps and warn that allowing anyone to purchase the appearance of legitimacy destroys the platform's value.
Despite the widespread criticism, a small fraction of the user base shows willingness to open their wallets. Under 6% of polled users say they are comfortable paying $15 a month for the check mark. Because Twitter boasts hundreds of millions of global users, even this tiny percentage of paying subscribers still generates a significant amount of potential revenue for the company.