Sunnyvale, California, US – Elon Musk, the owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has announced that the company will implement a “small monthly payment” for users to access the service.
“It’s the only way I can think of to combat vast armies of bots,” Musk stated during a live conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which was streamed on the platform on Monday.
Specific details such as the amount X plans to charge and the implementation date were not provided by Musk. Al Jazeera’s request for comment from the social media company remains unanswered.
Since acquiring the platform for $44bn last year, Musk, the world’s richest man, has introduced several changes, including the option for anyone to purchase verified check marks and the reversal of the ban on former US President Donald Trump. However, placing the entire social network behind a paywall would be his most significant move to date.
Bots are automated accounts that can serve positive purposes, such as disseminating earthquake or weather alerts. However, they can also be exploited for malicious activities, such as spreading hate speech and targeting opponents with trolls and spam.
In theory, requiring payment to use X would make it financially unfeasible to operate bot armies.
Link from www.aljazeera.com