Title: Elon Musk Floats the Idea of a Subscription Based Model for X to Tackle Bot Invasion
Word Count: 370
In a recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggested that X, formerly known as Twitter, could potentially no longer be a free platform. Musk proposed the implementation of a small monthly payment to combat the pervasive issue of bots plaguing the social media giant.
Bots on X have been a constant headache for both users and the company, but given their low cost, they have remained a persistent problem. Musk believes that introducing a subscription fee would significantly increase the effective cost of using bots, thus discouraging their widespread use.
While Musk did not disclose the specific cost of the proposed subscription payment, he described it as a “small amount of money.” Currently, X has a staggering 550 million monthly users who generate 100 to 200 million posts per day, although it remains unclear whether these figures include automated accounts.
Although Musk’s plan to charge for using X remains unspecified, users and industry experts alike are curious to know when this change would be implemented. The tech entrepreneur has previously promoted a paid subscription product, X Premium, which offers various enhanced features for $8 per month or $84 per year. However, reports indicate that X Premium has failed to attract a majority of X users, with only 827,615 subscribers reported to date.
It’s worth noting that Musk had previously considered the idea of placing the entire Twitter platform behind a paywall. His conversation with Netanyahu centered around the regulation of AI technology, but also touched upon the issue of hate speech on X. Musk reaffirmed his strong stance against antisemitism and anything that promotes hate and conflict, despite his recent feud with the Anti-Defamation League.
As X continues to grapple with the challenges posed by bots and hate speech, it remains to be seen whether a paid subscription model will effectively address these issues. Only time will tell if Musk’s proposal gains traction and how X’s vast user base will respond to the potential changes ahead.
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