Elon Musk Suggests a Monthly Fee for Access to X (formerly Twitter)
Elon Musk has floated the idea of requiring all users of X, formerly known as Twitter, to pay for access to the platform as a solution to combat bots and fake accounts. In a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk discussed implementing a small monthly payment for system usage. It’s uncertain whether this was a casual remark or a hint at potential future plans yet to be revealed.
Musk has consistently advocated for charging users for verification as a means to address the bot and fake account issues on the social media platform ever since he took over Twitter last year. He has encouraged users to subscribe to X Premium, a paid service that offers extra features like longer posts and increased visibility on the platform. Nevertheless, users can still access X for free.
Despite the company’s financial interest in implementing user charges, Musk emphasised that the primary goal is to combat bots. He pointed out that creating a bot costs a minimal fraction of a penny, but even a minor payment of a few dollars would significantly increase the effective cost of bots.
Currently, X Premium costs $8 (£6.50) per month in the United States, with pricing variations by country. Musk mentioned that they are exploring options for lower-tier pricing to make it more accessible.
Musk believes that charging a nominal fee is the only effective defence against large armies of bots. However, there is a risk that placing X behind a paywall might lead to a loss of a significant portion of its user base, potentially impacting advertising revenue, which is the primary income source for the platform.
During Musk’s conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, they also discussed the issue of antisemitism on X. The platform has faced accusations from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of not doing enough to combat antisemitic content. Musk recently announced that the company would sue the ADL to clear the platform’s name. In the conversation, Musk reiterated his stance against antisemitism, and Netanyahu acknowledged the challenge of balancing free speech with content moderation while urging Musk to find the right equilibrium.
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