On October 28, 2022, Elon Musk acquired an unprofitable company at a staggering USD 44 billion, and it now appears that he is making every effort to recoup his losses. His aggressive strategy has not only included massive layoffs and stringent work demands for employees (12 hours a day with no rest days) but also a plan to make the ‘highly coveted’ blue tick a payable feature at USD 8 per month (approximately Rs 650 per month).
Although this move to monetize the blue tick verification was halted due to a surge of fake accounts obtaining the ‘Verified’ badge, industry experts believe that Musk’s tactics might leave the social media giant in turmoil. According to Statista, Twitter had about 23.6 million users in India as of January 2022. However, India accounts for only a small percentage of Twitter’s revenue. The registered entity of Twitter in India reported Rs 86.39 crore as revenue in FY21, a mere 0.23 percent of the global revenue. While revenue jumped by about 82 percent to Rs 156.75 crore in FY22, the Indian entity posted a net loss of Rs 31.84 crore for FY22.
Amidst all the upheaval and constant media attention surrounding Twitter and its new owner Elon Musk, we decided to discuss this chaos with someone who has been closely associated with Twitter for a long time. We had an in-depth discussion with Naina Redhu, arguably the first Twitter user in India. Naina shared her 16-year journey on Twitter and her views on the significant changes Elon Musk is bringing to the platform.
**Since when have you been on the platform? How did you end up signing onto the platform?**
“I signed up for the platform in 2006, back when it was called TWTTR. I was working in Mumbai and was very interested in the emerging internet culture and blogging, which was already a trend abroad but not in India. I started my first blog in 2004, so I was quite engaged with the online world.”
**How was your experience back then?**
“Back then, I was very curious to see what was happening. I noticed a few people writing texts and interacting as if they knew each other, most of them located in Palo Alto, California. They were planning meet-ups for coffee or pizza. I wished there was someone in Bombay I could connect with similarly, but there wasn’t. I even thought TWTTR might be only for a US audience.”
**Is that how you figured out you were the first Twitter user in India?**
“Someone suggested I might be the first Twitter user from India and showed me an article listing ‘The first 140 people to sign up to Twitter.’ Seeing no Indian names on that list, I speculated it could be true. I wrote a blog post asking, ‘Am I the first Indian Twitter user?’ People responded, saying they couldn’t find any other Indian user, so it became commonly accepted that I am the first.”
**What drastic changes have you noticed from 2006 to 2022?**
“One significant change was the character limit increase from 140 to 280. The essence of Twitter was to compress thoughts into 140 characters, which I found challenging yet creative. With 280 characters and the ‘thread-system,’ it feels more like a blog now. I also miss the ‘Fail Whale’ that appeared when the platform crashed. Though it was technically a problem, it fostered a shared experience among users.”
“The community aspect has diminished. ‘Tweet-Ups,’ where users met in person, were common. Now, it seems unlikely anyone would do that through Twitter. The platform has also become more political and controversial, which isn’t bad, but the personal touch and smaller community feel have certainly faded.”
**After Elon Musk’s takeover, there have been numerous changes.
. The company recently considered a subscription fee for the verification badge. Do you think people would be willing to pay for the blue tick?**
“I’m not clear on this yet. I saw screenshots showing two badges: a blue tick and an ‘Official’ tag. The blue tick traditionally verified that the person is real. They are considering changes, but I’m unsure what it will mean.”
“The initial USD 8 was for Twitter Blue, offering fewer ads and additional features. But why pay to see fewer ads? I would pay if it meant no ads at all, though I don’t use Twitter as much now.”
**Elon Musk tweeted that they are experimenting with different features. Was it the same earlier?**
“That’s what I loved about Twitter. In its early days, they tried new things and responded to user feedback. Elon Musk is a polarizing figure; people either love him or hate him. But I believe he is trying something new, and I’m curious to see where it goes. The blue tick signified something significant till now, and we’ll have to see if that changes.”
**Twitter Blue was planning to introduce an ‘edit’ button. With Elon Musk’s takeover, might things change?**
“We lack clarity on future changes. I survived 16 years on Twitter without an ‘edit’ button and won’t pay for it now.”
**Do you think that the USD 8 per month fee will be worth it?**
“I’m unsure. The blue tick has so far added the value of authenticity, allowing people to know it’s really me. I would need to see if it adds any more value in the future.”
**Don’t you think it helps differentiate between parody/fake accounts and actual/verified accounts?**
“For political figures, yes, the blue tick is important. But I don’t face the same risks that political figures do. For them, paying $8 is trivial.”
**Will the subscription plan succeed in India?**
“I won’t subscribe. I can’t say for others in India. Spotify Premium, for instance, adds value to my life by removing ads. But paying Twitter wouldn’t. Despite being the first user, I wouldn’t subscribe.”
**Do you think other platforms might initiate subscription plans for a ‘no-ad’ policy?**
“I doubt it. Platforms like Instagram have sophisticated ad algorithms, whereas Twitter’s need improvement. Ads on Instagram can be useful, but Twitter’s aren’t as targeted.”
**Are people migrating to other platforms like Koo or Mastodon?**
“I’ve tried other platforms, but Twitter remains unmatched in its offerings and loyalty. Unless there’s a mass exodus or Musk drastically messes up, people will stay on Twitter. Everyone wants to be where everyone else is.”
“This is the most discussion Twitter has generated on Twitter. I’m eager to see what Musk’s plans for the platform entail.”
Watch the full interview here: [insert link]
