If you thought not subscribing to Twitter Blue would mean just losing out on blue checkmarks and a handful of features, think again. Elon Musk just dropped a new bomb.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Musk said that non-Blue subscribers will not be “eligible to be in For You recommendations” starting April 15.
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Additionally, only verified accounts that pay Twitter $8 per month can participate in polls on the platform.
According to Musk, this decision is to “address advanced AI bot swarms taking over” because otherwise, it is a “hopeless losing battle.”
But wait, that’s not it.
Musk also said that it is okay to have “verified bot accounts” which follow “terms of services” and don’t “impersonate a human.”
Netizens were quick to react to this latest update:
Twitter Blue subscribers who opt for the annual package will need to pay $7 per month.
Why It’s Important: Twitter’s For You recommendation has time and again been the center of concern for many users.
In February, many users complained about getting relatively more Musk posts on their ‘For You’ timelines, irrespective of whether they follow him on the platform.
The ‘For You’ section shows users tweets from accounts and topics they follow along with recommended content. However, the algorithm behind this recommendation doesn’t seem to satisfy many users.
In December last year, Musk conducted a poll asking if he should “step down” as the head of Twitter. When the poll ended, 57.5% voted in favor of Musk stepping down and 42.5% felt he should stay CEO.
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