Twitter is simply the most interesting place on the Internet: Elon Musk
New York (PTI): A day after announcing plans to charge a monthly fee for Twitter's blue tick verification, the social media company's new owner Elon Musk said you get what you pay for and that Twitter is simply the most interesting place on the Internet.
Twitter is simply the most interesting place on the Internet. That's why you're reading this tweet right now, Musk tweeted on Wednesday.
Earlier he tweeted: Being attacked by both right and left simultaneously is a good sign and you get what you pay for.
Musk has announced that the verification blue tick in front of a user's name that authenticates the account will be charged eight dollars per month, prompting outrage and disbelief among some longtime users.
Musk, the world's richest person, acquired Twitter in a whopping USD 44 billion deal on October 27. He also fired the social media company's four top executives, including CEO Parag Agrawal and legal executive Vijaya Gadde.
Power to the people! Blue for USD 8 per month, he tweeted on Tuesday, adding that the price is adjusted by country proportionate to purchasing power parity.
With that price, he said, users will also get priority in replies, mentions, and searches, which he said is essential to defeating spam/scams, as well as the ability to post long video and audio, half as many ads, and paywall bypass for publishers willing to work with the social media company.
Musk, 51, said the monthly payments from users for the blue tick will also give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators.
There will be a secondary tag below the name for someone who is a public figure, which is already the case for politicians, he further said.
A blue tick signifies that a particular account is verified because it's notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category.
Twitter introduced the system in 2009 after it faced a lawsuit accusing it of not doing enough to prevent imposter accounts.
However, Musk's decision to charge for blue ticks did not go down well with many longtime users, including author Stephen King, who has nearly seven million followers on the platform.
A USD 20 a month to keep my blue check? he tweeted on Monday, followed by an expletive. They should pay me. If that gets instituted, I'm gone like Enron. Following up later in a reply, King wrote, [i]t ain't the money, it's the principle of the thing.
Musk replied to King with his most explicit acknowledgment yet of the proposal to charge for account verification. [W]e need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers, he said. How about USD 8?
Kasturi Shankar, a user with a blue tick whose Twitter bio describes her as an actor, activist, lawyer, writer, quizzer, dancer, foodie, and "travelholic", wrote, "Way to dilute the blue tick verification. Real important people will leave, and take with them the users you need to justify the platform. When businesses and media buy blue ticks, they will in turn try to monetise their tweets. Twitter will become a billboard."
Another user named David Rothschild asked, "So, the more money you spend the more elevated your speech?"
"Faux populism from billionaires who just want to cut taxes and regulations for the rich, while crushing rights of workers to get basic social safety and bargaining necessary to be healthy, productive, and have a meaningful opportunity is a particularly infuriating type of faux populism," said the user which has the blue tick handle @DavMicRot.
Another verified user having handle @Rubiu5 asked, "What happens when a random user pays USD 8 and changes his Display Name to Elon Musk, using your same profile pic, and starts tweeting like he's you?"
Verified check marks exist so people know they follow the real person, the user pointed out.
Responding to the barrage of criticisms, Musk said Twitter speaks to the inner masochist in all of us.
"To all complainers, please continue complaining, but it will cost USD 8," he tweeted.
In a subsequent tweet, Musk shared a link to a popular British skit titled 'Argument'.
The well-known sketch by the comedy troupe Monty Python sees a character, played by Michael Pali, becoming enraged after paying for a five-minute argument with John Cleese.
Totally stole the idea of charging for insults and arguments from Monty Python tbh, Musk wrote.
Twitter is simply the most interesting place on the Internet. That’s why you’re reading this tweet right now.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
Being attacked by both right & left simultaneously is a good sign
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
Totally stole idea of charging for insults & arguments from Monty Python tbh https://t.co/oFKRyp3BS7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
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India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
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Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
