X is now paid in two countries. A more expensive subscription is also in the works
The social network X, formerly known as Twitter, faces an uncertain future in Europe. X’s owner and CEO, Elon Musk, has announced that he plans to introduce a fee for using the platform. With this, Musk wants to combat the spread of misinformation, hate speech and spam bots.
In two countries, X is already payable
Twitter has been owned for a year by Musk, who bought the network in October 2022 for about $44 billion. Since then, he has made a number of highly controversial changes – such as renaming it X.
Musk’s latest move is to introduce a paywall on X, which is already being tested in New Zealand and the Philippines . There, new, unverified accounts will have to pay a $1 annual fee to post and interact with posts.
Those who don’t want to pay the fee will only be able to read along, watch videos and follow accounts without commenting. Musk said that a small monthly service fee for using X could help combat bot operations on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
In addition, Musk still plans a more expensive subscription tier that will be ad-free.
Two new tiers of X Premium subscriptions launching soon.
One is lower cost with all features, but no reduction in ads, and the other is more expensive, but has no ads.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2023
Reports of X withdrawal from Europe are “completely false “
Musk, however, has come under criticism not only for his paywall, but also for his handling of illegal and harmful content on X. The European Commission has launched an official investigation into X to ensure that the network is complying with the rules of the DSA (Digital Services Act).
The DSA requires major online platforms like X to establish effective and transparent systems to moderate and remove false, misleading and harmful information.
Musk, however, has repeatedly expressed his disagreement with the DSA, claiming that he supports freedom of expression for his users. According to a report by (Business Insider) he even considered withdrawing his social media platform from Europe – he has since denied this report, calling it “completely false.”
So far, the fee has been as low as $1 per year. Some experts think it’s possible that this is just the beginning and the cost will rise. How would you react to a paywall on X? Do you use the social media platform regularly and would you pay to use it? Or would you turn your back on X and use another platform? Drop us a line in the comments!
