Shruti Suman
Prepare to say goodbye to free access on the once-beloved social media realm, ‘X,’ formerly known as Twitter. The enigmatic Elon Musk has dropped a tantalizing hint: a “small monthly payment” will soon be required from all ‘X’ users. The era of free virtual engagement is rapidly approaching its end. During a live-streamed tête-à-tête with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ‘X’s proprietor unveiled this audacious notion as a strategy to combat the ever-menacing bots that plague the platform.
Elon Musk’s ingenious scheme to monetize ‘X’ rests on solid reasoning: “It’s the only way I can think of to combat vast armies of bots because a bot costs a fraction of a penny — call it a tenth of a penny — but even if it has to pay a few dollars or something, the effective cost of bots is very high.” Musk had previously broached the notion of levying charges on all ‘X’ users last year.
For those who crave premium ‘X’ experiences, the company presently demands $8 per month from ‘X Premium’ users. This elite cadre enjoys the privilege of post editing, a respite from incessant ads, extended post lengths, and a VIP status in search results and conversations. Musk did reveal that ‘X’ boasts a staggering 550 million monthly users who churn out 100-200 million posts daily. However, the number of subscribers paying for these privileges remains shrouded in mystery. Twitter’s last public earnings report in Q1 2022 had indicated 229 million monetizable daily active users (mDAUs).
Amidst the discourse between Elon Musk and Benjamin Netanyahu, the vexing issue of hate speech on ‘X’ also found its moment in the spotlight. The entrepreneur made his stance clear, vehemently opposing anti-Semitism and any content that foments hatred and discord. The tête-à-tête between Musk and Netanyahu predominantly delved into the world of Artificial Intelligence, engrossing them in an intricate discussion of AI’s pivotal facets and the necessity of regulation.
On the horizon of ‘X,’ innovative features loom large. The owner and Chief Technology Officer of ‘X’ have recently rekindled excitement by hinting at the advent of voice and video calls on the platform. While a precise timeline remains tantalizingly elusive, the app aspires to introduce this feature expeditiously, enabling users to connect within the app without relying on conventional phone numbers. In this bold move, ‘X’ enters the arena to contend with the likes of Meta-owned WhatsApp and Messenger, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet, promising a new frontier of virtual interaction.
Khushi Sikarwar
