Online platform X, formerly known as Twitter, may introduce a monthly fee for all users, according to its owner, Elon Musk. This potential change is being considered as a measure to reduce the prevalence of bots on the platform.
Since acquiring the site for $44 billion in October of the previous year, Musk has implemented several changes. These changes include significant layoffs, the introduction of a paid premium option, a reduction in content moderation, and the reinstatement of previously banned accounts, including that of former US President Donald Trump.
Musk disclosed in July that the platform had experienced a roughly 50% decline in advertising revenue.
Bots, which are automated accounts run by computer programs rather than humans, are prevalent on X. They are often used to artificially amplify political messages or spread racial hatred.
During a discussion with Musk on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inquired about countering online anti-Semitism and preventing bots from replicating and amplifying such content on X.
In response, Musk mentioned that the company was contemplating the introduction of a “small monthly payment for use of the X system” as a potential solution to combat the proliferation of bots. He explained that this approach could increase the cost of using bots, making them less economically viable.
Musk’s comments were made during a broadcast on X and coincided with an ongoing dispute between the Tesla CEO and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a US-based Jewish organization. Musk has accused the ADL of baseless allegations of anti-Semitism, claiming that this has driven away advertisers and negatively impacted his company’s revenue. He has even threatened legal action seeking billions of dollars in damages.