Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly known as Twitter), has suggested that the platform is considering introducing a subscription fee for all users as a measure to combat the proliferation of automated bot accounts. In a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk mentioned that X is moving towards implementing a small monthly payment for access to the platform. Currently, Twitter only charges for its premium subscription service, X Premium, which offers features like verified account checkmarks at a cost of $11 per month in the US for iPhones and £11 in the UK.
Musk argued that imposing a fee, even if it’s just “a few dollars or something,” could deter bot operators, as creating bots currently costs very little. Additionally, requiring a new payment method for each new bot could create further obstacles for bot creators.
However, Musk didn’t confirm whether X would definitively proceed with this payment policy, and X has not provided additional comments on the matter.
During the conversation, Musk revealed that X has 550 million monthly users who generate up to 200 million posts daily. This user count represents a shift in how the platform measures its user base, moving away from monetizable daily active users, which numbered 238 million before Musk acquired the company in October 2022.
Musk’s consideration of a paywall comes as X faces a significant decline in advertising revenue, which has historically been its primary income source. Musk has attributed this decline to an advertiser boycott sparked by concerns about his leadership of the platform and its handling of inappropriate or hateful content, resulting in a 60% drop in ad revenue.
The conversation between Musk and Netanyahu, initially focused on technology and artificial intelligence, shifted towards discussions of free speech and antisemitism. Critics have accused X of not doing enough to address hate speech on the platform. Netanyahu expressed hope that Musk would find ways, within the bounds of the First Amendment, to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred on X.
