Musk Continues to Modify Twitter: Recommendation Feature to Limit Suggestions to Verified Accounts

Twitter CEO Elon Musk is making significant changes to the platform's recommendation feature, known as "For You," which displays suggested tweets on users' homepages alongside tweets from accounts they follow.

The feature has faced controversy in the past due to a lack of transparency in the origin of recommended tweets. Previously, algorithmically recommended content would display indicators such as likes, comments, or retweets from followed accounts, but these indicators have since been removed, making it difficult for users to discern the source of the suggestions.

Musk has announced plans for a major overhaul to the recommendation feature, which will now limit suggestions to tweets from verified accounts only. This change is expected to significantly reduce algorithmic recommendations for unverified accounts. Furthermore, Musk is promoting the adoption of Twitter Blue, the platform's subscription service, by linking access to certain features with subscription status.

In addition to the changes to the recommendation feature, Musk has announced that starting April 15, only verified users will be able to participate in polls on Twitter. This decision was made in an effort to reduce the influence of fake accounts on polling results. Musk believes that verified accounts are more likely to represent real users, and limiting poll participation to these accounts will help prevent manipulation by bots or fraudulent accounts.

Twitter Blue, the subscription service that grants users access to premium features, is priced at $8 per month. However, if users subscribe through the App Store or Google Play, the monthly cost is $11. Furthermore, users must have an account that is at least one month old before they can subscribe to Twitter Blue (previously, the requirement was three months).

Overall, Musk's decision to modify Twitter's recommendation feature and restrict poll participation to verified users reflects his ongoing efforts to improve the user experience and combat the spread of misinformation on the platform. As Twitter continues to evolve under Musk's leadership, these changes are expected to have a notable impact on the way users engage with the platform and access content.