Musk says new Twitter Blue will launch on Nov. 29
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., talks about the Model X car at the company's headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Fremont, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Elon Musk on Tuesday announced that an updated version of the social media platform Twitter’s subscription service, Twitter Blue, will launch later this month amid struggles with the initial launch.
In a tweet, Musk said that Twitter Blue, which also allows users to become verified with the platform’s blue check mark as a part of a subscription service, will re-launch Nov. 29, noting that the company will make sure the relaunch of Twitter Blue is “rock solid.”
“Punting relaunch of Blue Verified to November 29th to make sure that it is rock solid,” Musk said in a tweet.
Musk also said that verified accounts that are not government or corporate officials will lose their verified check marks within a few months, as they have to subscribe to Twitter Blue to keep their verification badge.
Twitter users who are celebrities, prominent political figures, journalists, athletes, content creators and major companies could receive a blue check mark as part of the platform’s old regime.
“All unpaid legacy Blue checkmarks will be removed in a few months,” Musk said in response to a user’s question.
During the initial launch of Twitter Blue last week a wave of fake verified accounts surfaced on the social media platform, as users impersonated companies and journalists such as ESPN personalities Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to a Verge report, the controversy surrounding the subscription service launch led multiple companies, including General Motors, General Mills and Audi, to suspend advertisements on the platform.
Since officially purchasing Twitter last month, Musk has made drastic changes to the social media platform, including laying off half of the company’s workforce in revenue cuts.
The reported layoffs resulted in some employees filing a class-action lawsuit against the company, arguing that Musk failed to provide notice for the firings.