Africa-Press – Kenya. Kenyans on Twitter are paying for the verification badge. Initially, notable government officials, celebrities, journalists and public figures got verification for free, to avoid being impersonated, and for security reasons.
When Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced the introduction of Twitter Blue, KOT were the first to dismiss the move saying paying for the verification was not worth it.
However, when you click the blue badge for a legacy account it indicates that the account is verified because it’s notable. “This account is verified because it’s notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category,” It reads.
But when you click a badge that has been paid for, it gives a different notification. “This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue,” the subscriber’s badge reads.
This indicated that some Kenyans have started paying for the badge which costs Sh972 per month. Musk had in November announced a subscription fee of Sh972 ($8) per month for one to get the verification in a move to make changes to the platform.
Earlier, Musk had planned to charge Sh2,429 ($20) but reviewed the plans after tweeps were outraged about the same. “Twitter’s current lords and peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark. Power to the people! Blue for $8/month,” he said.
“Price adjusted by country proportionate to purchasing power parity.” He said the subscribers will enjoy priorities in replies, mentions and searches, which he added was essential to defeat spam/scams.
They will also be able to post long videos and audio and get half as many adverts. To identify accounts that have subscribed to Twitter blue, click on the verification budge and a message of subscription will pop up.
“This account is verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter blue,” the message reads.
Most Kenyans who have subscribed to get the budget are mostly influencers who mainly get paid to sell products on the platform, while others are artists.
Boniface Kilunda who is a Nakuru-based artiste has paid for the verification after he lost his first verification for defying Twitter policies. “That was an earned badge unlike this one I’m paying for,” he tweeted.
Mozoni said there is no problem in investing in the blue badge, as it will bring returns. “There’s no problem in investing in a blue badge if you get opportunities from this app. The same way you invest in the things that bring you returns, I look at it that way,” the tweet read.
Justo said most of his clients check whether he is verified for him to be granted an influencing gig. “Kama the client giving out gigs anaangalia verification ndio akupatie kazi,” he said.
(If a client is giving out gigs, he or she checks the verification for them to give you a job).
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