That $8 doesn't get you verification, it gets you a blue checkmark and algorithmic boosting. The article is about the fact that a lot of misleading or outright false information is being algorithmically boosted during an emergency situation. To me that seems pretty reasonable to criticize.
Vice mad it can't afford $8 checkmark and algorithmic boosting. Better?
But that's not accurate either. They've got a business account (gold checkmark), which AFAIK costs even more than $8. https://twitter.com/vice
The problem is that any dumbass can pay $8 and spread algorithmically boosted misinformation. They're using this particular disaster as illustrative of how badly twitter has been ruined as a resource, when it used to be so valuable.
It was clearly a joke about Vice's finances. Keep downvoting though