Verification badges are identifiers used by social media companies to confirm that an account is the authentic presence of the public figure, celebrity or brand it represents.
US Billionaire Elon Musk, who recently bought Twitter, has directed his team to launch the revamped paid subscription model by November 7th or face the axe.
If launched, users will have to pay $19.99 for the new subscription to keep their verification badges and unlock other premium features.
At the current exchange rates, this would see affected Kenyans pay Sh2,426 per month or Sh 29,121 per year.
Those who are already verified will have about 90 days to subscribe to the new model or risk losing the verification badges.
The proposal will cut across different users in Kenya, many of who are celebrities, journalists, politicians, and prominent figures.
“Verified Twitter users will have to pay $20 monthly to keep that blue checkmark if Elon Musk gets his way. Sign up within 90 days or lose it,” CNN International correspondent Larry Madowo shared on Twitter, kickstarting the conversation among Kenyans.
“What in God’s good world is this?” said KTN news anchor Brian George.
“Seems like Only SC Ahmednasir Abdullahi will remain verified on Twitter in Kenya the way things are going,” commented Ahmed Mohamed Asmali.
Kiss 100 presenters Kamene Goro and Oga Obinna also reacted to the story, with Kamene welcoming the idea.
“Getting verification on other platforms such as Facebook, and Instagram is particularly easy, but getting Twitter verification…I see people with blue ticks on Twitter act like they are the president and now is only going to cost us Sh2000 to join you. Here we come,” she said.
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