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This Just In: Will Twitter Verification Save Twitter?
Elon Musk wants everyone to pay $8/month for Twitter verification, but will that save the platform or alienate people?
Elon Musk owns Twitter, and, well, so far, it’s not been a great transition. Casey Newton and Ryan Broderick have covered the ins and outs, so I don’t need to rehash anything. Instead, I want to focus on verifying everyone on a social media platform.
On the surface, it seems like a good idea. On the surface, verification increases accountability, eliminates spammers, and reduces bot activity. However, like many things that look good on paper, verification has significant drawbacks, too. Let’s explore all three of these points and how they may work out for better or worse.
Increase Accountability
The idea goes that if everyone is forced to use their name online, they might not always respond with the things they’re thinking. Some of the vilest parts of the internet are entirely built on anonymity, with no consequences for the things people post. Take away anonymity, and people are more polite — at least, that’s the idea.
In reality, many people post awful things online under their name — just look at Facebook. Sure, there may be some people who…
