Twitter Blue relaunch details and the evolving verification system
The social platform has revealed plans to roll out a refreshed subscription model this coming Monday, introducing a verification feature commonly known as the blue badge. This announcement comes after a series of delays under the leadership of the company’s owner since October.
According to the official communications, the relaunch of Twitter Blue will begin on Monday with a pricing tier of eight dollars per month, or eleven dollars per month for users on iOS devices. The company notes that the iOS pricing aligns with Apple’s device ecosystem, and that subscribers will gain access to exclusive features, including the coveted blue verification badge. Time-stamped messages from the platform emphasized that recent updates are meant to revitalize the subscriber experience and clarify how verification will work in practice [Twitter official thread].
As part of the rollout, the badge system will see some role changes. The blue badge, once the standard mark of authentication, will be reserved for paying subscribers following a review of each account. In a nod to institutional use, gold and gray badges were introduced to distinguish organizations: gold for certain entities and gray for government and multilateral bodies. The intent is to provide clear signals about who is behind an account while maintaining a consistent vanity feature for personal profiles.
Subscribers will also gain the ability to edit their tweets, upload higher-quality videos, access a reading view, and update their display name and profile photo. Yet these capabilities come with a caveat: if a profile changes, the blue badge may be temporarily removed until the account is re-evaluated. This transparency aims to balance flexibility for users with the integrity of the verification system [Twitter official thread].
In its communications, Twitter acknowledged the patience of users during the transition and expressed eagerness to share more information as the implementation proceeds. The company’s executive leadership has previously indicated that the verification process would be refined over time, even as it prepares for a broader rollout across different platforms and markets [Twitter official thread].
Reports from users who enrolled in the new plan indicated initial trouble accessing certain Blue features when attempting payment at the rate of seven to eight dollars per month. The platform responded by clarifying that the program would be adjusted and extended as needed to ensure a smooth experience, reaffirming a commitment to a reliable verification framework that remains independent of other paid services. This stance reflects ongoing efforts to deter impersonation and protect the reputations of widely recognized figures and organizations [Twitter official thread].
The broader reaction to the proposed pricing model has focused on concerns about potential impersonation and the risk to the reputational capital of public figures and established brands. Critics and supporters alike are watching closely to see how the system will deter misuse while delivering authentic value for legitimate users. The leadership team reiterated that the goal is to deliver a stable, trust-enhancing experience, with plans to provide more details as the project advances [Twitter official thread].
In this evolving landscape, observers note that the balance between monetization and verification is a delicate one. While the feature set offers practical benefits for everyday users, the pricing and review processes will likely shape how noticeably the badge is perceived by the global audience, including users in Canada and the United States. The ongoing dialogue around verification underscores the platform’s commitment to transparency and user safety, even as it experiments with new business models and technology-assisted authentication [Twitter official thread].