Elon Musk, entrepreneur and CEO of major companies including Tesla and SpaceX, defended his controversial decision to charge users who want to verify their Twitter accounts during a question-and-answer session on the platform.

Are social networks at risk of collapse?

Musk explained that social networks that do not follow his approach could eventually collapse under a flood of fake accounts. He added that creating fraudulent Twitter accounts is extremely easy using a computer and modern artificial intelligence, which is why social networks should verify accounts using phone numbers and credit cards. Musk is also seeking new ways to generate revenue for Twitter, which has lost more than half of its value. However, this change raises an important concern: scammers and fraudsters could pay to obtain verification badges for fake accounts. The subscription, known as “Twitter Blue,” is expected to cost $8 per month in the United States. For many users, the blue checkmark has long been essential to making Twitter a trusted forum.

According to Musk, payments could save social networks from collapse

Nevertheless, the new decision to charge users for verification remains controversial. Some believe it could restrict expression and freedom on Twitter while undermining the credibility of users who cannot afford to pay for verification. Others argue that the measure could improve content quality, reduce fake accounts, and limit the manipulation of information. Elon Musk is not the first person to advocate paid verification on Twitter. In 2019, former US President Donald Trump called for users seeking verification to be charged, although the proposal was never implemented. This development has raised many questions among businesses, celebrities, politicians, and journalists who use Twitter as a primary communication channel and rely on the blue verification badge as an indicator of credibility. Some reports suggest that Musk’s decision could transform the digital verification industry, with platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube potentially following suit. If the model succeeds, paid verification could become a widely adopted standard in the future. The decision is likely to attract considerable debate and criticism, particularly from users who believe verification should remain free and may refuse to pay for it. Ultimately, the move could have far-reaching consequences for the future of digital verification and may reshape how accounts are authenticated across social media platforms.