"verified accounts" = those willing to pay Twitter $8/mo.

So your "For You" will now be a bunch of Elon fanboys and former Truth Social / Parker users :)

"For You" was never inundated by bots / foreign influencers, that's not what this change is trying to address.

Is this sarcasm? If you don't think the three groups you mention are willing and able to throw money at a system that will considerably extend their reach then you have some catching up to do. If I had a budget to run influence operations I could go hog wild with $8000/month.

Do you remember when they opened blue checkmark accounts to verify idents and promptly took money from people, didn't check id's and had rampant hilarious impersonation :P...

This doesn't touch any of that.

Also by people you follow. If he really wants do this, at least make it 'random blue tick accounts + people you follow (regardless of blue tick status)'.