By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer
As Twitter's newest board member and largest shareholder, Elon Musk is already floating suggestions for changes he'd like to see on the social media platform.
In a series of tweets late Saturday, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said that the company should include an "authentication checkmark" as a feature of its Twitter Blue premium subscription service, which costs $2.99 a month.
Twitter adds a checkmark logo next to a user name when the account has been verified "authentic, notable and active."
Musk also suggested Twitter make the authentication checkmarks of premium subscriber accounts different than those granted to official accounts belonging to public figures, for example.
Such a move, Musk said, would "massively expand" the pool of verified user accounts and discourage the proliferation of spam "bot" accounts, making them too expensive to maintain.
Musk also shared ideas for how Twitter should charge for its subscription membership, saying the fee "should be proportionate to affordability and in local currency," and adding: "Maybe even an option to pay in Doge?" referring to the Dogecoin cryptocurrency.
"And no ads," Musk tweeted. "The power of corporations to dictate policy is greatly enhanced if Twitter depends on advertising money to survive."
Nearly 90% of Twitter's revenue in 2021 came from advertising.
Musk's latest tweets about Twitter, including posting polls asking his 81 million followers whether Twitter is "dying" and whether the company's San Francisco headquarters should be converted into a homeless shelter "since no one shows up anyway," followed a tweet earlier in the week asking if he should add an edit button on the platform.
Last week, Twitter disclosed in a regulatory filing that it entered into an agreement with Musk giving the billionaire a seat on the company's board, with the term expiring at its 2024 annual shareholders meeting. The move came a day after it was disclosed that Musk took a 9% stake in the company.
Twitter declined to comment Sunday.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More