SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: Twitter doesn't need a paid tier. It needs a democratic verification policy.

Twitter is one of the better social networks. Which is to say that it's horrible, but less horrible than most.

One problem with Twitter is the existence of a blue-check aristocracy. Verified users have special privileges, are more likely to be followed and interacted with, and their comments float to the top above the unwashed, unverified masses. To date, verified users tend to be celebrities, some but not all journalists, and people with extremely high follower counts. 

Verified users have an unfair advantage on the network. It’s unfair to the majority of users.

For the first years of the existence of Twitter verification, the process for getting verified was uneven and unclear. Some got verification without asking. Others had to ask. Many of those who asked were denied. And the reasons were inconsistent. 

So Twitter stopped verifying people for months. Earlier this month, they re-launched verification, and even retroactively un-verified users who don't meet the new criteria. 

Twitter says that the purpose of verification is to "help people distinguish the authenticity of accounts that are of high public interest."

This misguided purpose for verification misses a huge opportunity, in my opinion (more on that below) and creates a needless aristocracy on what SHOULD be a meritocracy. 

The problem with aristocracy is that it disincentivizes participation and creates resentment among the majority of users who cannot get verified because their accounts are deemed insufficiently "high" in public interest. 

Now, making the aristocracy problem worse, Twitter is on the brink of rolling out a $2.99-per-month paid tier called "Twitter Blue." Previously just a rumor, Twitter Blue has been all but confirmed by the release of a Twitter Blue "in-app purchase" option in the iOS App Store listing. It's there, but not yet enabled. 

Twitter Blue will enable users to "un-do" their tweets and enjoy an exclusive "reader mode" that cobbles together long threads into what's basically a blog post or article format. They'll also get "bookmark collections" and special color customization features. 

It's possible, but not confirmed, that Twitter Blue will be ad-free. Other rumors and predictions suggest that Twitter may have multiple tiers, each with additional features.

When Twitter Blue launches, probably next month, we're facing a super-aristocracy of verified Twitter Blue users who will further alienate regular Twitter users and deflate interest in the platform. 

Three bucks a month is trivial to some, a burden to others. Full participation in a social network should not be limited by the ability to pay.

Here's what Twitter really needs: A verification system that anyone can get verified with. 

The biggest problem Twitter has is: trolls, bots and haters. They're enabled by anonymity. Because people can use Twitter without consequence, a huge number of people lurk and comment and post hate speech and conspiracy theories and disinformation. 

The worst thing about Twitter is the ability for people to post anonymously. 

To solve that, verification should require that people prove who they are by uploading their ID and other measures, and that ID should be processed through AI to prevent fake IDs. 

Once verified, users should be able to post under a pseudonym to protect their identity or for any reason at all. Twitter would know who users are. But revealing their identities should be up to each user. 

This would make it harder for people to post fake accounts, multiple accounts, bot accounts and other abusive practices that sour Twitter conversations. 

It would erase the blue-check aristocracy and replace it with an authenticated user democracy. Then, we could choose to follow and interact only with real, actually people instead of wasting our time and energy on paid trolls, bots and disinformation spreaders. Or we could choose to follow everybody and take our chances.

We don't need aristocracy on Twitter. We need accountability.