Twitter users reluctant to pay for blue checkmark

While the verification checkmark on Twitter is a helpful tool for many to determine who to trust, only a small number of users are ready to pay a monthly fee.

There's been a mix of responses to Elon Musk's proposed $8 monthly fee for the verification checkmark. A new survey by All About Cookies shows that only 28% of respondents would pay the proposed monthly fee.

While over half of US adults believe that the blue checkmark helps them to determine who to trust on Twitter, 44% wouldn't pay for it. Given it currently costs nothing to get verified as long as your profile is authentic, notable, and active, this doesn't come as a surprise.

After surveying 1,250 US adults, All About Cookies said that only a quarter of them believes a monthly fee would improve the platform's user experience, and 45% think it wouldn't.

"The amount US adults would pay to show other Twitter users their account is verified varies, but most lean toward not paying a cent," All About Cookies said.

While Twitter has around 240 million daily active users, only 423,000 profiles are verified. Since many users don't use the platform to promote their professional profile or business, they don't really need that blue badge.

"For those who find value in a blue checkmark, 27% would pay $1 to $5 a month for the privilege. Similarly, 28% would pay Musk's proposed fee of $8 a month or more," the survey reads.

Musk believes the monthly fee is "the only way to defeat bots and trolls," and for the platform to diversify its income and not solely rely on advertisers. Additionally, the world’s richest man suggested that widespread verification would lead to the “democratization of journalism” and global empowerment, later tweeting “Power to the People.”

Rebellious Twitter users are already flocking to alternative social media platforms like Mastodon, which has been growing at the fastest rate since the billionaire acquired Twitter.

"The number of people who switched over to #Mastodon in the last week alone has surpassed 230 thousand, along with many returning to old accounts bumping the network to over 655 thousand active users, the highest it's ever been!" Mastodon tweeted.