How to keep your Twitter secure without giving Elon Musk any money
TechCrunchNov 25, 2022
The Facts
On Sunday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook and Instagram users in Australia and New Zealand would soon be required to pay for the verified blue badge.
Meta's premium subscription service starts at $11.99 per month on the Web and $14.99 per month on iOS and Android.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Though for years Facebook claimed all its services were "free and always will be," the value of users' personal data meant the site was never truly free. Unfortunately, the launch of Meta Verified is a tone-deaf move reinforcing tech greed. By forcing users to pay for services that were expected to be a default offering — such as protection from impersonation — the paid service looks more like a marketing pitch than of actual value to creators.
Pro-establishment narrative
Meta's new offering is fundamentally about increasing authenticity and security by cutting down on trolls, impersonations, and fraud. Though it will undoubtedly also help the social media platform diversify its revenue stream and reduce its reliance on advertising, Meta Verified further benefits users by adding premium value to their account; at $11.99 or $14.99 a month, it's a bargain for the content.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23382328/VRG_Illo_STK022_K_Radtke_Musk_Twitter_Shrug.jpg)
