In a recent live stream on his social media platform X with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Elon Musk discussed the possibility of implementing a paywall for all users of the platform, formerly known as Twitter. Musk cited the growing concern of rampant bot activity on social media as the main impetus behind this potential shift.
“The single most important reason that we are moving to having a small monthly payment for the use of the X system is it is the only way I could think of to combat vast armies of bots,” explained Musk during the live stream.
Musk emphasized that a paywall, combined with prioritizing posts from premium users, could significantly reduce the influence of bots. By making bots pay even a small amount to access the platform, the effective cost of their activity would rise considerably, making it less feasible for malicious entities to flood the platform.
“We are actually going to come up with a lower tier pricing. We want it to be just a small amount of money,” Musk added. “It’s a longer discussion, but this is actually the only defense against armies of bots.”
This isn’t the first time Musk has entertained the idea of implementing a paywall for all X users. He had previously discussed this concept with venture capitalist David Sacks. Musk’s focus on transforming the platform and implementing changes like the replacement of the verified program with the Twitter Blue subscription program underscores his commitment to steering X towards profitability, especially in the face of financial challenges.
As the company navigates a difficult financial position and negative cash flow, Musk is actively exploring strategies to achieve positive cash flow and ensure the platform’s sustainability. The potential introduction of a paywall aligns with his vision to address critical issues such as bot interference while seeking financial stability.
