this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2023
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Elon Musk has indicated that X, formerly known as Twitter, is preparing to charge all users for accessing the platform.

The X owner said erecting a paywall around the business would ward off the bots, or automated accounts, that have become a bugbear for Musk.

Speaking in a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, the Tesla CEO and world’s richest person suggested that X was going to charge its user base. Currently, Twitter only charges users for its subscription service X Premium, which offers perks such as a verified account checkmark and costs $11 a month in the US for iPhones and £11 in the UK.

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[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 131 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Let me guess. Paying a subscription will not mean the end of ads.

I have been wondering for a while what he would have to do to finally crash twitter, I think this may be it.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 43 points 1 year ago

It won't be the end of bots either, it means less users overall, and conversations can be influenced with 100 bots rather than 100,000.

Small timers won't pay that, but corporation, PACs, and the wealthy won't flinch at that kind of advertising budget.

And now Musk gets paid for them, he'll never mention bots again.

[–] rynzcycle@kbin.social 17 points 1 year ago

No, but it will be the end of his advertising revenue. Does that count?

[–] CrypticFawn@lemmy.dbzer0.com 75 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm convinced he's ruining Twitter on purpose. He's still pissed he was forced into buying it.

[–] agent_flounder@lemmy.one 23 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I like the theory that he's killing it to prevent us peons from organizing politically.

[–] vinylshrapnel@lemmynsfw.com 12 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I think you’re right but I don’t like it.

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[–] TheLordHumungus@lemmy.world 71 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Haha, no one is gonna pay to use social media. I don't use Twitter but you would never get me to pay for absolute garbage brain rot. I'm already on lemmy for that and it's free.

[–] Discoslugs@lemmy.world 52 points 1 year ago (3 children)

They want me to pay to be advertised at.

Lol.

[–] MaxPow3r11@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago

to be advertised at & have nazi propaganda pushed on you.

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[–] Tygr@lemmy.world 48 points 1 year ago

I think it’s one of his best ideas he’s ever had. I fully support this move and everyone else should as well.

What a wonderful, genius, innovative idea. Such brilliance. I think he should also keep ads on there as well.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (10 children)

If all 330 MAUs paid this, Twitter would ~~net~~ gross $3.6bn/month.

Crucially, they absolutely will not.

[–] Ertebolle@kbin.social 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not only that, it'll create a vicious cycle where engagement drops to the point where the people who still post on Twitter (politicians, reporters, celebrities, etc) no longer bother with it, thus leaving much less content for paying users, with the end game being that Twitter is the place where shithead tech bros and neo-Nazis talk to each other and pretty much nobody else.

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[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 37 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Over on Mastodon: brace for impact!

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[–] athos77@kbin.social 37 points 1 year ago

The X owner said erecting a paywall around the business would ward off the bots, or automated accounts, that have become a bugbear for Musk.

Idiot manchild proudly breaks something he knows nothing about, complains when it doesn't work as expected, news at eleven.

[–] Fades@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago

what is this clickbait bullshit??? I've seen multiple articles yet the wording is always 'floated the idea', but from the headline you could infer it's an official announcement.

fuck modern 'journalism'

[–] SirEDCaLot@lemmy.fmhy.net 25 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's an interesting thought, but he misses the #1 problem with online subscriptions- sign-up friction.

If you could just push a button and instantly be charged something, an awful lot of people would do it.
But when you go from $0 to $0.01, you will lose 99% of people, because most people can't be bothered to fill out a form, put in their credit card number, etc. Even if the amount of money involved is absurdly small, it's not the price, it's the friction.

Now if he integrates the app with Apple Pay or Google Wallet that will help, a little. But only a little.

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[–] DirkMcCallahan@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The movie about Twitter's downfall will be absolutely fascinating.

you spelled hilarious wrong

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[–] stopthatgirl7@kbin.social 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Well, if that doesn’t kill the site, I genuinely don’t know what will.

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[–] matchphoenix@feddit.uk 21 points 1 year ago

Oh boy, now I get to pay to give Elon my dumb thoughts. Sign me right the fuck up!

[–] alienanimals@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Literally every single day we have idiots doing Musk’s PR work for free.

Downvote Musk spam. The billionaire doesn’t need your help ensuring his businesses stay in the 24 hour news cycle.

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[–] UnculturedSwine@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

Looks like Elon Musk and John Riccitiello are trying to see who can run their company into the ground the quickest.

[–] noxy@yiffit.net 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think it's bigger news that that fuck is meeting with that other fuck Netanyahu. What the fuck business do those two fascist scum have with each other?

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[–] argo_yamato@lemm.ee 15 points 1 year ago

Would be cool if he did. One last flurry of articles about Twitter folding and then nothing. That would be great.

[–] orphiebaby@lemm.ee 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yep, this is the final nail in the coffin. Most people will just stop. Good job boosting the Mastodon community, Moron Musk.

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[–] mojo@lemm.ee 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] YoBuckStopsHere@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mastodon.World stock is increasing

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[–] tillary@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 year ago

When Elon realizes nobody wants to pay to listen to Elon, will he rollback the changes or start posting on Threads?

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