The new X plan, according to Elon Musk: Two premium tiers
The CEO of X (previously Twitter), Elon Musk, has made a shocking announcement: the company is working on not one but two premium subscription tiers for its social media network.
Read also
One is cheaper with all functionality but no reduction in commercials, while the other is more expensive but has no ads, Musk revealed in a typically cryptic post on X.
The mystery, however, does not stop there. Musk, has kept the Internet in the dark, avoiding any major specifics for the time being.
As if that weren't strange enough, X has also begun charging new users in New Zealand and the Philippines $1 to access the platform. Many observers in the field of technology find this decision puzzling.
While X is still one of the most popular social media sites, its constant updates and improvements have angered many users.
A new tier system
Those who opt out of the premium plan under the planned tier system will be restricted to "read-only" features such as browsing the site, reading posts, viewing videos, and stalking accounts, according to the scheme's currently unknown specifics. Time will tell if unrestricted X access is coming to an end or not.
With the dust finally settling, the question on the minds of X's 400 million paying customers is this: Will there be any free options? The day of reckoning is drawing near for Elon Musk's ambitious idea of using fees to eliminate bots and fake accounts off the site.
Musk has spent the past year building a subscription company, which he now calls X Premium and which requires customers to pay $8 per month in order to receive the coveted blue check status.
One of the many dramatic adjustments he has made in an effort to make X great again is the introduction of a "Not A Bot" membership method for the site.
However, Musk's relentless reinvention of X has scared off advertisers, as seen by enormous layoffs and the dissolution of content moderation staff. Musk is quick to blame annoying campaigners for the decline in advertising revenue.
The story continues as consumers prepare to wade through X's complex subscription options. It's interesting to note that other digital titans, each with its own unique spin, are also experimenting with a hybrid of ad-supported and subscription models. It may seem like a war zone for social media companies as they try to maximize both profits and user happiness.
Budget-friendly price point
YouTube, owned by Google, offers both paid and ad-supported subscription options, while Netflix is experimenting with ad-supported plans at a lower price point. Typically, platforms like these typically split revenue from ad-free subscriptions with the people responsible for the content, but X has been mute on the subject.
Despite Musk's best efforts to monetize X, the platform is still plagued by issues related to poor moderation. Marketers are still wary for fear that their ads would end up in inappropriate places.
As the fight to restore order to the platform continues, all eyes are on the participants. In light of the new tech legislation governing illegal damaging content and the proliferation of fake news in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war, the European Commission has begun an inquiry into X.
