Elon Musk has announced that starting April 15, 2023, you will only be able to see For You Recommendations from verified Twitter accounts.
Twitter’s For You Recommendations
Twitter’s “For You” recommendations have over time been based on the choices you make. For example, if you follow someone, or a topic, or join lists, you will see Twitter recommendations from such accounts, topics, or lists in your timeline.
The Twitter algorithm has also been using a number of signals to determine and recommend relevant content that you might be interested in. Some of the signals include tweet likes, engagement, retweets, and your network.
With the introduction of “For You” recommendations from verified accounts only, you will continue seeing recommendations generated using existing signals and algorithms but now only from verified accounts.
Elon Musk says that the decision was taken to combat AI bots taking over. He was however quick to note that content from verified bot accounts will appear in your recommendations if they follow Twitter terms and do not impersonate anyone.
What are the implications of the changes?
Considering that only Tweets from verified accounts will surface in your recommendations, it can be concluded that even if you have thousands of followers, if your Twitter account is not verified, the number of people your content can reach will significantly decline.
These changes also mean that Tweets from random accounts or newly created unverified accounts for example from college students or content creators who cannot afford to pay Twitter Blue subscriptions will hardly be seen on Twitter. Additionally, if most of your followers have unverified accounts, recommendations will decline on your timeline or be filled with paid content from businesses or influencers.
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