French Government Spokesperson Not Willing To Pay For Blue Tick Twitter Accounts

The French government's minister and spokesman, Olivier Veran, did not want to pay for Twitter's blue tick account. (photo; screenshot)

JAKARTA – Twitter's plan under new owner Elon Musk to require blue-tick (verified) account owners to pay a subscription of 7.99 US dollars per month was met with negative feedback.

French minister and government spokesman, Olivier Veran, said on Sunday 6 November that he would not pay Twitter's $7.99 per month fee for account verification. He also stated that he was worried about the ambitions of the social media platform's new owner, Elon Musk.

Twitter updated its app in Apple's App Store on Saturday 5 November to start billing blue ticks. It is the first major revision since Musk took over in a $44 billion acquisition deal on October 28.

It says those who "sign up now" can receive a tick next to their username, "like celebrities, companies, and politicians you already follow".

"I invite them to cancel the certification of my account without delay if they consider that this is something they have to start paying for," Veran told France 3 television.

Before Musk took over, a blue tick next to the username meant Twitter had confirmed that the account belonged to the person or company that claimed it.

When Veran was asked if he would continue to use Twitter after Musk's takeover, Veran said he wasn't sure. He said it was a major means of communication, with more than 10 million French users.

"The fact that this major global tool belongs to one person, and that he displays ambition that worries me a little - at least some of them - means that I will remain vigilant and that I will take on my own responsibilities if necessary," Veran said, as quoted by Reuters.

Like almost all French government ministers, Veran has a verified Twitter account with a blue tick next to his name. The former health minister has nearly 425,000 followers on his @olivierveran account.

French President Emmanuel Macron's @EmmanuelMacron account, also verified, has 8.8 million followers. His official Elysee palace account, @Elysee, has 2.8 million followers.

Most French government ministries, offices and agencies, departments and prefectures have also verified Twitter accounts, as have many cities, cultural institutions and even the Paris metro line.