Twitter is set to charge businesses $1,000 a month for brand verification, as it continues to look to earn revenue on formally free services under new owner Elon Musk.
The steep new proposed price for gold verification badges — which were introduced late last year by Musk — was first reported by social media consultant Matt Navarra, who viewed internal company documents, The Information reported Saturday.
Affiliated business accounts would be charged an additional $50 a month, according to the reports, which noted the pricing structure had not yet been finalized.
Brands that refused to fork over the four-figure monthly fee would reportedly have their gold badges removed, the outlet said.
Twitter has launched an $8-a-month verification program for non-notable users who want a blue checkmark on the platform — a status symbol previously only available to celebrities, politicians and journalists.
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Under the new paradigm, government officials are verified by grey checkmarks, which are free of charge.
The cash grabs come as the site’s advertising revenue plunged by 35% in the fourth quarter of 2022 as advertisers fled following Musk’s $44 billion acquisition.
[Written in collaboration with other media outlets with information from the following sources]
