'Ratan Tata's digital reputation...': Ex Twitter India tags Elon Musk on blue tick policy

In his note addressed to Elon Musk, former Twitter India head Manish Maheshwari said Ratan Tata was among the several Indian celebrities whose digital reputation and fan communities had a negative impact due to Twitter's verification policies.

The former head of Twitter India, Manish Maheshwari, on Wednesday, said that he was approached by "many celebrities" about their lack of control over their Twitter presence. He also stated that the platform's verification policy had a negative impact on the digital reputation of several stalwarts -- such as industrialist Ratan Tata, music maestro AR Rahman, actors Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra -- "whose contributions have been vital to Twitter's success in India."

To fix this, Maheshwari offered Elon Musk some suggestions to rebuild trust in the platform and harness its potential from the Indian perspective.

"Recent Twitter Blue Tick policy changes have led to many celebrities confiding in me about their lack of control over their Twitter presence. Here is my 5-point recommendation for rebuilding trust and harnessing the potential of Twitter from India's perspective," Manish Maheshwari tweeted tagging Elon Musk.

The letter with his pointers was directly addressed to the owner and CEO of Twitter.

"Twitter's potential is immense, as it has carved a unique niche in the world of real-time news and unfiltered opinions," Maheshwari wrote. "However, my heart ached when I learned that prominent creators and celebrities -- whose contributions have been vital to Twitter's success in India -- were not consulted on recent policy changes regarding verification."

"These icons including Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, eminent industrialist Ratan Tata, global actress Priyanka Chopra, Oscar-winning maestro AR Rahman, humourist Vir Das, and acclaimed actor Ram Charan from the Oscar-winning film RRR, have all had their digital reputation and fan communities adversely affected," the former Twitter India head wrote.

Recent #TwitterBlueTick policy changes have led to many celebrities confide in me about their lack of control over their Twitter presence. Here is my 5-point recommendation for rebuilding trust and harnessing potential @twitter from India perspective. @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/fMa0JuQRFw

— Manish Maheshwari (@manishm) May 2, 2023

Maheshwari then offered his solutions to Musk.

1.) Rebuild trust with celebrities
"Treat them as indispensable stakeholders. Involve them in discussions before implementing major policy changes that affect them," the former Twitter India head told Musk. "Prioritise those who add value to Twitter by offering more than just free verification -- provide exceptional service to ensure they continue choosing Twitter over competing platforms like Instagram and YouTube."

2.) Empower creators
Maheshwari also asked Elon Musk to invest in creator discovery features and encourage collaboration between creators to cultivate a diverse ecosystem that benefits both Twitter and its users.

3.) Prioritise attention over subscription fee
"Charging for user verification, which is essential for trust, should not be the primary monetisation methods when you already have something far more valuable for free -- the audience's attention and the creator's craft," Maheshwari wrote. "Explore alternative methods, such as sponsored content, in-app purchases, and social commerce, which do not compromise the user experience."

4.) Partake in digital India's growth
Maheshwari said that as the fastest-growing major economy globally, India is too significant and unique for Twitter to overlook. "There is a tremendous opportunity to expand non-English Twitter, as recent successes of Indie language focussed local players such as Koo have demonstrated," he added.

5.) Maintain the network effects lead
"In the short-form, real-time breaking news space, Twitter currently has a lead and, therefore, benefits from network effect," Maheshwari wrote in the note addressed to Musk. He further urged the tech billionaire to take a long-term view or else Twitter risks following in the footsteps of the now-defunct Myspace and Orkut.

Read more: Elon Musk threatens to reassign NPR Twitter account, NPR says