Elon Musk, the CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has said that the company is “moving to a small monthly payment for use of the X system” in order to tackle the problem of bots. Musk made the announcement during a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 18, 2023.
Musk explained that bots are a major problem on X because they can be used to spread misinformation, spam users, and manipulate public opinion. He also said that bots are relatively inexpensive to create, which makes it difficult to stop them.
By charging a small monthly fee, Musk believes that X can make it more difficult for people to create and operate bot accounts. This is because the cost of creating and maintaining a bot army would increase significantly if operators had to pay for each account.
Musk did not say how much the monthly fee would be, but he said that it would be “small.” He also said that there would be exemptions for certain users, such as journalists and researchers.
The move to a subscription model is likely to be controversial, as some users may be reluctant to pay for a service that they have previously used for free. However, Musk has said that he believes it is necessary to protect the platform from bots.
Why is Musk concerned about bots on X?
Musk has said that he is concerned about bots on X because they can be used to spread misinformation, spam users, and manipulate public opinion. Bots can also be used to harass and intimidate people, and to interfere with elections.
In addition, bots can damage the reputation of X and make it less attractive to users and advertisers. If users feel like they are being bombarded with spam and misinformation, they are less likely to use the platform. And if advertisers feel like their ads are being seen by bots, they are less likely to spend money on the platform.
How could a subscription model help to tackle bots?
By charging a small monthly fee, Musk believes that X can make it more difficult for people to create and operate bot accounts. This is because the cost of creating and maintaining a bot army would increase significantly if operators had to pay for each account.
In addition, a subscription model would allow X to implement more sophisticated anti-bot measures. For example, X could require users to verify their identity with a phone number or email address. X could also use machine learning to identify and ban bot accounts.
What are the potential downsides of a subscription model?
One of the potential downsides of a subscription model is that it could exclude some users who cannot afford to pay. However, Musk has said that there would be exemptions for certain users, such as journalists and researchers.
Another potential downside of a subscription model is that it could lead to a decrease in the number of active users on X. However, Musk has said that he believes the benefits of a subscription model outweigh the risks.
Conclusion
It remains to be seen how successful X will be in tackling bots with a subscription model. However, the move is likely to be closely watched by other social media companies, as they grapple with the same problem.
