The TweetDeck social media application commenced its transition behind a paywall on Tuesday. Users of platform X, formerly recognized as Twitter, were redirected to a paid-subscription signup page when attempting to access it.
In July, X declared that TweetDeck, a widely used tool enabling users to monitor numerous accounts and user lists concurrently, would solely be accessible to “verified” account holders starting from August. As of Tuesday, users endeavoring to utilize the service, now rebranded as X Pro, were obliged to pay for X’s blue verification checkmark through an annual fee of $84.
Acquired by billionaire Elon Musk the previous year, the social media company has been exploring various avenues to generate profits, including workforce reductions and an intensified focus on paid subscriptions.
Just last week, CEO Linda Yaccarino remarked that the company was on the verge of reaching a break-even point and intended to reinforce the workforce that had been reduced under Musk’s leadership.
The majority of X’s verified users have acquired the blue verification checkmark through payments, although Musk has also bestowed this verification symbol upon a select few. Introduced over a decade ago, TweetDeck exhibits messages in columns, and its search and posting features function differently compared to the main website or the app.
Back in 2011, Twitter acquired London-based TweetDeck for an estimated price of $40 million, as reported by the technology media of that time.
