Twitter launches $8 monthly blue tick subscription service

Twitter has launched an $8 monthly subscription service that includes a blue checkmark for subscribers. 

The development comes on the back of an overhaul of Twitter by Elon Musk, new owner of the micro-blogging platform. 

Musk  had earlier announced that Twitter will charge users $8 monthly for its blue tick.

In an update to Apple iOS devices and termed “power for the people,” Twitter said users who “sign up now” can receive the blue checkmark next to their names “just like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow.”

The introduction of the new service represents the end of Twitter’s current verification system, which was launched in 2009 to prevent impersonations of high-profile accounts such as celebrities and politicians. 

The billionaire owner of Tesla has been making major changes in the company, after the $44 billion acquisition of Twitter. 

After sacking three top executives of the company, Musk had also laid off 50 percent of staff. 

Explaining the rationale behind the massive lay-off, Musk had said: “In an effort to place Twitter on an health path, we will go through the difficult process of reducing our global workforce.”

“We recognise that this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions to Twitter, but this action is unfortunately necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward,” he had said.