Elon Musk says $8 monthly fee for Twitter blue tick

Elon Musk has said Twitter will charge $8 (£7) monthly to Twitter users who want a blue tick by their name indicating a verified account.

As part of changes after a $44bn (£38bn) takeover of the social media site, Mr Musk said it was "essential to defeat spam/scam".

A blue tick mark next to a username - normally for high-profile figures - is currently free.

The move could make it harder to identify reliable sources, say critics.

Mr Musk, the world's richest person, added that paid users would have priority in replies and searches, and half as many advertisements.

He has said he wants to reduce Twitter's reliance on advertising, even as some companies have grown concerned about advertising on the site under his leadership.

General Motors - a rival of Mr Musk's electric car company Tesla - said last week it was suspending advertising on the site.

Meanwhile, on Monday, one of the world's biggest advertising companies, IPG, advised its clients to suspend Twitter adverts for a week, citing a need for more clarity on the Twitter's plans to ensure "trust and safety" on the platform. IPG is given billions of pounds per year, by some of the world's biggest brands, to handle their marketing budgets.

The charge for blue tick privileges drew scepticism after original reports that said the charge would be $20 (£18) monthly.

Many on the platform echoed the statement of author Stephen King, who wrote in response to reports of changes that instead Twitter "should pay me".

He is facing a challenge, as he works to overhaul Twitter's business which has not posted a profit in years.