Twitter Blue subscriptions restart Monday after disastrous debut

Twitter Blue got off to a rocky start, having to be suspended last month after trolls used the service to impersonate celebrities and corporations, including Eli Lilly, Nintendo and Lockheed Martin. In Eli Lilly’s case, pranksters posing as drug manufacturers declared, “We’re pleased to announce that insulin is now free,” forcing the company to make an awkward apology for something it hadn’t done.

Elon Musk has been pushing for more Twitter subscription revenue since his acquisition in late October, saying the company can’t survive on advertising alone.

Twitter Blue returns – with changes

“We’re relaunching @TwitterBlue on Monday – subscribe to web at $8/month or iOS at $11/month for access to subscriber-only features, including the blue tick,” the company said tweeted on Saturday.

subscribers, it added“Can change their handle, display name, or profile photo, but if they do, they’ll temporarily lose the blue tick until their account is re-verified.”

The enterprise also said Twitter Blue subscribers can edit tweets, have “1080p video uploads,” and get the blue tick “after your account is verified.”

It added“We will begin replacing this ‘official’ label with a gold tick for corporates and a gray tick for government and multilateral accounts later in the week.”

Last month, impersonators could easily pull off their stunts because under the first Twitter Blue, anyone could pay $8 a month for a blue tick and start their antics. Before Musk, this sign indicated that the identity of a reputable company or individual had been verified. Twitter previously offered verification for free.

The changes announced on Saturday seem to make it harder to perform impersonations, but time will tell.

Twitter announced Saturday that users can subscribe to Twitter Blue on the web for $8 a month or on iOS for $11 a month. Apple charges a 30 percent commission on many in-app purchases. Musk and many others, including Epic Games in particular, have criticized this arrangement.

Either way, Musk wants more subscription revenue.

Ad sales make up 90% of Twitter’s total revenue. Advertisers shunned Twitter after Musk’s $44 billion acquisition. General Motors, United Airlines, General Mills and others stopped advertising on the platform over concerns about brand safety when Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” wrought dramatic changes on Twitter.

Last weekend, Musk said advertisers would return to Twitter after the initial exodus. During a Twitter Spaces broadcast, he said Apple has “fully resumed” advertising on Twitter. He also thanked other advertisers for returning, although it wasn’t clear which ones he was referring to.

Last month, Interpublic Group (IPG), one of the world’s largest advertising companies, recommended its clients stop spending on Twitter over the past month due to moderation concerns.

wealth reached out to Twitter for comments and additional details, but did not receive an immediate response.

Our new weekly Impact Report newsletter explores how ESG news and trends are shaping the roles and responsibilities of today’s leaders. Subscribe here.