by Vastu Krupa Estate 
According to a report by Platformer, Twitter maintains a list of approximately “VIP users” who receive preferential treatment on the Twitter platform. The list includes notable names such as LeBron James, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ben Shapiro, President Joe Biden, and even Twitter CEO Elon Musk.
In a surprising move, Twitter announced that it will begin phasing out its blue checkmark verification process starting on April Fools’ Day. Responses to the action have been mixed, with some users expressing problems that would make it challenging to get credible accounts on the platform. in response to the backlash, Twitter has invited users to sign up for a new monthly subscription service that will allow them to retain their blue mark.
According to Twitter CEO Elon Musk, the change is “about treating everyone equally.” Musk argued that there should not be a different standard for celebrities and ordinary users on the platform. However, a recent report by Platformer suggests that Twitter accounts owned by celebrities may be getting preferential treatment.
The report claims that Twitter maintains and monitors a list of around 35 “VIP users” who receive increased visibility on the platform. The list includes journalists, celebrities, and even Musk himself. If tweets from the selected accounts begin to drop, Twitter engineers can tweak the code so that falling tweets are always visible. VIPs also get access to Twitter engineers who take on the role of customer support for favored users.
While the list was reportedly created in response to Musk’s concern that Twitter’s ranking systems could be suppressing his posts, it has raised questions about Twitter’s commitment to treating all users equally. The fact that the list includes high-profile celebrities and politicians has led some to speculate that Twitter may be catering to the interests of its most influential users at the expense of ordinary users.
Despite these concerns, Twitter has signaled its intention to move forward with its plan to phase out the blue checkmark verification process. The company has also announced plans to make its subscription service mandatory for users who want to sport the blue checkmark.
Twitter Blue, as the subscription service is called, offers a range of premium features, including an, undo button that allows users to retract tweets within a certain timeframe, a bookmarks feature that allows users to save tweets for later, and access to exclusive content. The service costs $3 per month in most countries, but users in the US can sign up for a monthly subscription of $8 that includes the ability to keep their blue checkmark.
Twitter Blue was launched in November 2021 but has so far struggled to attract subscribers. According to the company’s most recent earnings report, Twitter Blue had just 180,000 subscribers after two months. This is a drop in the ocean compared to Twitter’s overall user base which currently stands at around 330 million active users.
Twitter Blue’s poor performance has raised questions about the company’s ability to monetize its platform. Despite being one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, Twitter has struggled to generate significant revenue The company has been testing revenue, with ads, promotional tweets, and features they add support, but so far a sustainable business model has been they have not been able to do so.
The introduction of Twitter Blue and the phasing out of the blue checkmark verification process are part of the company’s efforts to seek new revenue streams. However, the long-term success of these strategies remains to be seen. In the meantime, Twitter users must decide whether they are willing to pay for premium features and the right to a blue mark. The company’s decision to phase out the blue checkmark verification process has sparked a heated debate on the role of social media platforms in verifying user account authenticity
