Elon Musk’s X platform to become pay-as-you-go?
Elon Musk, the controversial owner of the ‘X’ platform, formerly known as ‘Tweeter’, has decided to take action against bots, one of the black platform’s biggest problems. The deal between the previous owner of the platform and Elon Musk included a dispute over the number of bots on the platform.
The owner of ‘X’ stepped in and decided to take action. He introduced an annual subscription of one dollar a year for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines on a trial basis. Without it, users will not be able to post or interact with other users, but they will still be able to read posts.
Elon Musk mentioned that such a measure will help cleanse the platform of unwanted bots. It will also improve the quality of content published on the platform.
The X premium option will also continue to be available, with users exempted from paying this dollar per year. Users of this option have a verified account, which can be identified by the blue tick next to the account name. In addition, Premium users’ account listings will definitely be better placed by the algorithm.
A fee-based approach – is it the right solution?
While introducing fees may seem like a great way to combat bots, it is worth considering the potential problems such a decision could cause. Firstly, the introduction of even a token fee may deter many potential genuine users, especially in countries with lower per capita incomes. This is particularly relevant given that the trial introduction of the fee took place in New Zealand and the Philippines. Secondly, while the fee may discourage bot creators, genuine users may feel penalised for a problem that is not their fault. There are other methods of tackling bots, such as advanced verification technologies or behavioural analysis, that may be more effective and less intrusive for regular users. Ultimately, the question is whether the benefits of reducing bots outweigh the potential loss of user engagement and satisfaction.
(Fragment above was written using ChatGpt 3.5))
In my opinion, this is a brilliant move by Elon Musk. Not only will it increase the company’s annual revenue by several hundred million dollars, but it is also a very effective way to combat bots. The ‘Not a Bot’ campaign will be a huge success for Company X. However, there are many people who criticise the move and say that it is just another attempt to make more money.
Sources:
https://filarybiznesu.pl/innowacje/elon-musk-x-bedzie-mial-dwa-nowe-platne-poziomy-premium/a22499
Platforma X będzie w końcu płatna
https://nypost.com/2023/09/19/elon-musk-says-users-will-soon-have-to-pay-for-x/
https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/x-twitter-charge-users-one-dollar-per-year-test-1235760066/
Chat Gpt 3.5