Elon Musk has proposed that all users of X, previously known as Twitter, might need to pay a fee to utilize the platform.
During a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the tycoon mentioned that introducing a payment structure could be a viable strategy to combat bots.
“We’re moving to having a small monthly payment for use of the system”, the head of Tesla and SpaceX declared.
At this point, it is undetermined if this remark was spontaneous, or indicates more concrete plans waiting to be unveiled.
Musk has consistently advocated that imposing a charge for verification could be a method to eliminate bots and false profiles on the social networking site.
After assuming control of Twitter in the previous year, he has been encouraging users to subscribe to a superior service now named X Premium.
The transition involved offering paying members extra benefits such as extended post lengths and heightened visibility within the network.
Nevertheless, at present, individuals are able to access X without any financial commitments.
While introducing a payment requirement would obviously benefit the firm financially, Musk emphasized that the core objective is to curb the bot activity on the platform.
Creating a bot is relatively inexpensive, he noted, “However, imposing even a minimal fee can significantly elevate the operational costs for bots”.
The fee for X Premium stands at $8 (THB 285) monthly in the United States, with variations based on the subscriber’s geographic location.
The wealthiest individual globally mentioned that more affordable alternatives are under consideration.
“We’re actually going to come up with a lower tier pricing. So we just want it to be just a small amount of money”, he stated.
“This is a longer discussion, but in my view, this is actually the only defence against vast armies of bots,” Mr Musk continued.
Nonetheless, a potential downside is that transitioning X to a subscription-based model could loose a substantial portion of its user base, which might negatively impact its advertising earnings, a significant source of the company’s revenue.
The conversation with the Israeli leader also explored the issue of antisemitism on the X platform.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has criticized the platform for its perceived insufficient actions to curb antisemitic content. Responding to this, the entity articulated that Musk was “engaging with and elevating” voices of antisemites.
Earlier this month, Musk announced intentions to initiate a legal battle against the ADL to “clear our platform’s name”. During his discussion with Mr. Netanyahu, Musk reaffirmed his stance against antisemitism.
Mr. Netanyahu acknowledged the complexity of maintaining equilibrium between free expression and regulating content but urged Musk to strive for an optimal balance.
“I hope you find within the confines of the First Amendment, the ability to stop not only antisemitism… but any collective hatred of people that antisemitism represents”, he expressed. “I know you’re committed to that”, Mr. Netanyahu concluded.
