Elon Musk made some of his plans for X, (formerly Twitter) public during a livestreamed conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One of the significant changes in Musk’s plan is the introduction of a monthly payment system for X users. This move aims to tackle the issue of “vast armies of bots” plaguing the platform according to him.
While the exact cost of this subscription plan remains undisclosed, it’s expected to offer users additional features and benefits, although specifics about these perks have not been revealed.
During the livestream, Musk shared some intriguing statistics about X, boasting a user base of 550 million monthly users who collectively generate between 100 million to 200 million posts each day. However, he did not clarify how many of these users are human users versus bots, nor did he provide a direct comparison with Twitter’s previous metrics. Twitter’s user figures has been shrouded in secrecy since Elon Musk bought the cover and of course took it private. It is interesting to learn though that Twitter has finally seen a growth in a long-time stagnated user base which has hovered around 300 to 350 million for years.
The conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister originally intended to focus on the potential risks associated with artificial intelligence and the need for regulation. However, Musk also took the opportunity to address concerns about X’s tolerance of hate speech and antisemitism. Well what better place to talk about antisemitism concerns than when on Israeli soil right ?
Criticism has recently mounted against Musk for his platform’s amplification of bigotry, including antisemitic content. Notably, he threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), alleging they attempted to undermine his social network. Musk attributed a significant drop in X’s revenue to the ADL, leading to his defamation lawsuit threats.
Despite these controversies, Musk asserted his stance against attacking any group and emphasized the importance of unity for humanity’s spacefaring endeavours.
After acquiring X for approximately $44 billion, Musk initiated substantial changes, including layoffs and operational adjustments. He continues to lead the company as its largest shareholder, chief technical officer, executive chairman, and also serves as the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.
Under Musk’s leadership, X extended amnesty to previously suspended accounts, such as former President Donald Trump, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Andrew Anglin, the founder of a neo-Nazi website. Additionally, the platform abolished its blue check verification system, instead offering subscribers a blue badge and post prioritization as incentives for payment.
Musk believes that turning users into paid subscribers will hinder the deployment of bots on the platform, making it a less attractive option for malicious actors.
In its pursuit of becoming a money transmitter nationwide, X has obtained permission in eight states, reflecting the company’s commitment to expanding its services.