The ever-controversial boss of Twitter/X, Elon Musk, has once again caused a stir. Users of the social media platform are now potentially facing a “small monthly payment” to access it.

Whilst this change isn’t confirmed, Musk mentioned it was the only way to counter bots that plague the site.

The comment was made in a conversation with the Israeli Prime Minster, Benjamin Netanyahu, and isn’t clear whether it was an off-the-cuff comment or a sign of genuine plans that they’ve yet to announce.

Elon Musk has advocated for some time that the only way to get rid of spam bots and fake accounts on Twitter/X is to introduce a charge for verification.

Payment plans aren’t new to the platform, with some users paying a monthly fee to access an enhanced service, X Premium, where they can take advantage of advanced features like longer posts and increased visibility.

X Premium currently sets users back £6.50 a month, with that price differing depending on which country a subscriber is in. There’s no confirmation of the monthly cost, but Musk did hint at a price.

“A bot costs a fraction of a penny” to make. “But if somebody even has to pay a few dollars or something, some minor amount, the effective cost to bots is very high”.

If the sums mentioned in the comment are anything to go by, you could expect to pay a few pounds per month to use the service.

Musk also confirmed they are looking at a reduced X Premium payment plan for those wanting to access paid features, but don’t want to pay full price for them.

Twitter/X is currently the only mainstream social media platform where users are able to pay a monthly subscription. YouTube offers a premium service, with the ability to download videos and have an ad-free experience.

It remains to be seen whether this could be the future of social media platforms, or if it’s another controversial feather in Musk’s hat. As always, keep your eyes peeled on our website and socials to keep up to date with future changes.

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