UN in touch with Twitter over $8 verification fee: Spokesman

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - The UN said Friday that it has contacted Twitter after the company's new owner Elon Musk announced his plan to charge $8 a month for verified users.

"We will need to evaluate our participation," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, citing changes including the fee for blue check and the issue of content moderation, which he said, "may impact how we communicate on Twitter".

"So we've asked some questions. We're waiting for some answers but obviously, we will draw conclusions based on what we hear," Dujarric told reporters.

Musk's announcement for Twitter’s blue check has received backlash from long-time users of the social media platform.

On Tuesday, he said the price has been "adjusted by country proportionate to purchasing power parity."

Users will get priority in replies, mentions and searches, which he said is essential to defeating spam and scams. Tick owners will also have the ability to post long videos and audio and will see half as many ads.

Musk initially faced criticism for his plan to charge users $19.99 a month to get or keep a verified account.

His takeover of Twitter has also ignited a firestorm of debate regarding free speech versus online harm, with Musk previously criticizing Twitter’s moderation policies and accusing the platform of being biased toward left-wing views.