During a discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the billionaire proposed that a payment system was necessary to combat bots. "We intend to implement a modest monthly fee for utilizing the platform," stated the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. The BBC approached X for further information but has yet to receive feedback from the company. It is uncertain if this was an impromptu remark or if it signified more concrete plans that have not been disclosed.
Mr Musk has consistently advocated for charging users as his solution for eliminating bots and fraudulent accounts on social media platforms. Since taking over Twitter last year, he has encouraged users to pay for an enhanced service named X Premium by giving paid subscribers more features such as increased visibility on the platform and longer posts; however, people can still use X without paying any fees.
Although there is undoubtedly financial gain involved in charging users, Mr Musk emphasized that urging people to pay will help eradicate bots. He stated that "creating a bot costs only a fraction of a penny," adding: "But even having individuals pay minor amounts like two dollars would make it excessively expensive for bots." In America, X Premium currently costs $8 (£6.50) per month; prices differ based on which country one resides in. The world's richest person declared that they are now exploring cheaper pricing options.
"This may be lengthy dialogue, but in my opinion, this is presently our sole defense against vast numbers of bots," Mr Musk remarked.
However, putting X behind a paywall runs the risk of losing many users who do not wish to subscribe; consequently leading advertising revenue- which constitutes most of their income- plummeting sharply.
In addition to discussing antisemitism at length during his conversation with Mr Netanyahu, Mr Musk also addressed concerns regarding antisemitic content on X raised by Anti-Defamation League (ADL). ADL accused the platform of failing to take sufficient measures against anti-Semitic content . In response ,the organization released a statement claiming that Mr.Musk was “engaging with and elevating” anti-Semites . Earlier this month ,he had said that he would sue ADL so as “to clear our platform’s name”. During his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu ,Mr.Musk reiterated his stance against antisemitism while acknowledging how challenging it could be finding balance between free speech and moderation .
"I hope you find within the confines of First Amendment rights your ability not only stop Antisemitism… but any collective hatred towards people represented by Antisemitism", urged Mr.Netanyahu.
"I know you're committed to doing just that" added PM netanyahu.