In a recent dialogue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X—formerly known as Twitter—hinted at a significant change in the platform’s business model. Musk revealed that X is considering implementing a “modest monthly fee” for users, aiming to tackle the rampant bot activity on the platform.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kicked off his U.S. tour with a high-profile meeting with tech mogul Elon Musk in California. The meeting, which was live-streamed and attracted between 700 and 800 viewers, took place amid protests outside Tesla’s Fremont factory and comes as both leaders face significant challenges—Musk with accusations of enabling anti-Semitic content on his social media platform X, and Netanyahu with ongoing protests against his judicial reform plans.
Musk elaborated on the rationale behind the move, stating, “The only effective strategy to counter the overwhelming number of bots is to introduce a fee. Bots are cheap to create, but even a small fee would make their operation cost-prohibitive.” He added that each new bot would require a separate payment method, further complicating the process for bot creators.
While Musk did not disclose the exact amount of the proposed monthly fee, he characterized it as “nominal.”
During the discussion, Musk also unveiled new user statistics for X, reporting that the platform now boasts 550 million monthly users contributing between 100 and 200 million daily posts. However, he did not clarify whether these figures include automated accounts, such as news aggregators or spam bots.
This data does not directly correlate with Twitter’s previous metrics, which used a unique “average monetizable daily active user” (mDAU) measure. According to the last publicly available data from Q1 2022, Twitter had 229 million mDAUs.
Since acquiring the platform, Musk has been encouraging users to opt for its premium subscription service, X Premium, formerly known as Twitter Blue. Priced at $8 per month or $84 per year, this service offers perks like editable posts, reduced advertisements, and enhanced search features. However, independent studies suggest that X Premium has yet to gain widespread adoption, with one report estimating only around 828,000 current subscribers.
The concept of a paid subscription model for all users is not new to Musk. Reports last year indicated that he was contemplating putting the entire Twitter platform behind a paywall.
The broader discussion between Musk and Netanyahu also touched upon the regulation of AI technology and the issue of hate speech on X. Musk took the opportunity to state his opposition to antisemitism and hate speech, despite his recent legal threats against the Anti-Defamation League, which has accused both Musk and X of promoting antisemitic views.
Netanyahu and Musk Discuss AI, Anti-Semitism, Amid Protests and Controversy
Netanyahu initiated the conversation by discussing the potential and pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI). “How do we control this emerging technology at an international level?” he posed, suggesting that like-minded nations should collaborate on ethical guidelines and conduct codes to maximize AI’s benefits while minimizing its risks.
Netanyahu urged Musk to find a balance within the constraints of the First Amendment to combat hate speech on the platform. Musk responded that he was “against anything that promotes hate and conflict,” emphasizing that societal infighting hampers progress toward becoming a “space-faring civilization.”
Musk, who has been under fire for allegedly allowing hate speech to proliferate on X, defended the platform’s policies. He stated that with millions of daily posts, some negative content is inevitable. However, he reiterated X’s commitment to limiting the reach of objectionable posts rather than removing them, a policy he describes as “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach.”
This policy has drawn criticism from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which accuses Musk of amplifying hate speech. Musk has countered these allegations, claiming that the ADL is attempting to “kill the platform” by falsely labeling it and him as anti-Semitic—a charge he says has led to a 60% drop in X’s revenue.
The meeting between the two leaders also comes against the backdrop of widespread protests in Israel against Netanyahu’s judicial reform plans. Critics argue that the reforms are a power grab that would undermine the country’s democratic checks and balances, while Netanyahu insists they are necessary to rein in “liberal and overly interventionist” judges.
The protests have even followed Netanyahu abroad, with Israeli expatriates staging demonstrations during his overseas visits. Prominent figures in Israel’s tech industry have joined the protests, warning that weakening the judiciary could deter foreign investment, a concern seemingly validated by the recent plunge in the value of Israel’s currency, the shekel.
Both leaders used the meeting to publicly state their opposition to anti-Semitism, although their respective controversies continue to fuel public debate and protests.