If you’re on Twitter, you may have seen this article floating around. As soon as the story broke, multiple users immediately responded with disagreement and threats to leave the platform.
My thoughts…
People will pay. Whilst the initial fall out will fill your feeds; it will settle.
As with every change the majority will complain but will slowly follow. Just think of the iPhone… I remember when it was announced that it would cost more than £400 and EVERYONE said they wouldn’t buy it… look at them now. Stuck in an endless cycle of renewals to a product that barely improves.
We as humans tend to just follow and I think Elon knows that. If these rumors are true, he most likely knows that he can recuperate a large portion of his cost by charging everyone $20 p/m. Even if this isn’t the long game, even a months cost multipled by the people that will pay is a huge amount of profit.
Finally a chance to be ticked…
Sure, those that have it may drop it however remember that there are a large portion of people who see that blue tick as a shiny penny. A pass to an exclusive club that they have been waiting a long time to be a part of.
Sure you have to pay, but you’ve got the money for it right?
This tick shows that. Just like people who drive around in fancy cars they struggle to pay the monthlys on. It’s a statement and they are willing to pay for it.
The aftermath…
The aftermath to this is a toxic attitude of “look at me” syndrome as the platform splits between those that pay and those that don’t. Similar to the pointless arguments between Linux vs Windows and Android vs Apple users. People like to pick a side and this is another. The reason this hasn’t occured already is the fact that it’s a selection process. The process to get that small tick is backed up. We all know someone who should have it but doesn’t. When you transition to a paid model, things becomes clean cut. You pay or you don’t.
The risk…
The other problem to come is an increase of fake news and Phishing. Despite the idea that spammers won’t pay, the reality is that they probably will. That tick box gives people a sense of trust and their are people out there that will follow if they see a tick. They are verified so they must be legit, right ? Phishers and spammers will pray on it before it matures.
I say matures as this won’t be a endless problem. It will soon go the over way as more become aware of the deal. People will soon learn that anyone can pay for that tick, so they can fall back to the trust no one approach. The tick will slowly become meaningless and I sort of think that is what Elon wants. This is more for the older generation though.
The long game…
If it is what he wants, it’s quite clever. Whilst the tick becomes an exclusive club to those misguided sheep, Elon will make money. That is until it becomes pointless and by then he would have removed the whole idea of the tick all together. This will break the exclusive club and create a fully inclusive platform as we all become the same. At the same time this occurs, Twitter will most likely announce more services that break away from that simple blue tick. Services that we are familiar with that aren’t shoved in our face. For example, subscription for additional services that don’t scream about it.
Regardless of the truth or what you think, the man has a plan. This guy has been known to make money and does so publicly. Just recently he sold a perfume that smelt of burnt hair.
People bought it instantly. If this man ups the cost of Twitter, he’s doing it because he knows you will pay.
amoran.io 
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