<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Twitter has confirmed plans to allow users to buy blue-tick verified status.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an update for Apple devices, the company said the feature would be open to users in certain countries who sign up to its Twitter Blue service for $7.99 (£7) per month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The policy change is controversial amid concerns that the platform could be swamped with fake accounts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It follows Twitter's takeover by Elon Musk who on Friday laid off around half of the company's workforce.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The sought-after blue tick was previously only available to high-profile or influential individuals and organisations - who were asked to prove their identity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been used as a sign that a profile is authentic, and is a key tool to help users identify reliable information on the platform.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The policy change may fuel worries that government figures, celebrities, journalists and brands could be impersonated by any user willing to pay a monthly fee.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Musk, the world's richest person, appears to be looking to diversify Twitter's income, following his acquisition of the firm late last month in a $44bn (£39bn) deal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Friday, the billionaire said Twitter was losing more than $4m (£3.5m) per day, insisting that this gave him "no choice" over culling around half the company's 7,500-strong workforce. BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>