Elon Musk hints Twitter will turn into paid service, all users will have pay to use it
Elon Musk talked about making some big changes to Twitter, which he’s renamed X. He hinted that in the near future, everyone using X might have to pay a small monthly fee to use it.
The reason behind this move is to deal with the problem of fake accounts, also known as bots. However, Musk didn’t specify how much this fee would be or what perks users would get for paying it, as per a CNBC report.
During the conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk also revealed some numbers about X. He mentioned that X now has 550 million users who use the platform every month and create somewhere between 100 to 200 million posts every day.
But Musk didn’t clarify how many of these users are real people and not bots. He also didn’t compare these numbers to what Twitter had before he took over.
The primary goal of Musk’s chat with Netanyahu was supposed to be discussing the potential risks of advanced technology like artificial intelligence and how it should be regulated. However, Musk also took the opportunity to address the criticism that X allows hate speech and anti-Semitism on its platform.
In recent times, Musk has faced backlash from civil rights groups for not doing enough to stop hate speech and anti-Semitic content on X. He even mentioned the possibility of suing the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish organization, for negatively impacting X’s revenue. But as of now, no lawsuit has been filed against the ADL by Musk or X Corp, and they haven’t provided an immediate comment on this matter.
Before meeting with Netanyahu, Musk accused the foundation of George Soros, a well-known philanthropist, of wanting to harm Western civilization. Soros has been the target of baseless conspiracy theories.
On his social media platform, Musk has made negative comments about various groups and individuals. However, during the conversation with Netanyahu, he claimed to be against attacking any group and emphasized the importance of unity for humanity’s space exploration goals.
After purchasing Twitter for $44 billion, Musk made significant changes to the platform. He allowed previously banned accounts, such as former President Donald Trump’s, to return. He also did away with the “blue check” verification system that identified accounts of famous people.
Now, if you pay a fee, you get a blue badge next to your name, and your posts get more visibility. If you don’t pay, your posts may not get as much attention. Musk believes this change will discourage the use of bots on the platform.
X is also working on getting licenses to become a money transmitter in the United States and has already received permission in eight states, according to public records.