Twitter officially launching $8 'verification subscription' on App Store

Twitter over the weekend began advertising its revamped 'Twitter Blue' platform, the controversial subscription service that will allow users to pay $8 a month to have their accounts verified. 

An update to Twitter is now available in the Apple App Store confirming that users who pay the $8 fee will be able to receive a verified blue checkmark on their account, CNBC reported. The update is now listed as available for users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. 

However, while the update confirms the previous announcement by Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, that he planned to implement the subscription, Twitter's director of product management, Esther Crawford, said the service is not yet live. 

"The new Blue isn't live yet — the sprint to our launch continues but some folks may see us making updates because we are testing ... in real-time," Crawford tweeted. 

The plan to allow users to pay for verification has been controversial, particularly due to the rise of misinformation seen on the platform since Musk's takeover.

There have especially been concerns about the validity of verification in the lead-up to the midterm elections, with critics saying it will make it harder to source accurate information on Twitter. NPR reported that the company has not rolled out any requirements for confirming a user's identity prior to becoming verified, and noted that Twitter's App Store update even said any users could become verified "just like the celebrities, companies, and politicians you already follow."