Elon Musk Considers Monthly Fee to Combat Bots on X

• X experienced a significant drop in advertising revenue in July.
• Bots on the platform amplify political messages and hate speech.
• Musk suggests a small monthly fee to deter bot activity.

Elon Musk, the owner of the online platform X, revealed the possibility of introducing a monthly fee for all users to combat the proliferation of bots on the platform. Musk, a tech magnate, has implemented various changes since acquiring the platform for $44 billion in October the previous year when it was still known as Twitter. His actions have included terminating thousands of employees, introducing a paid premium option, reducing content moderation, and reinstating previously banned accounts, including that of former US President Donald Trump.

In July, Musk disclosed that the platform had experienced a significant decline in advertising revenue. Bots, which are automated accounts operated by computer programs rather than humans, are prevalent on X and are often used to artificially amplify political messages or propagate hate speech.

During a discussion with Musk on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised concerns about online anti-Semitism and inquired about how X could prevent the use of armies of bots to replicate and amplify it. In response, Musk stated that the company was considering implementing a small monthly fee for using the X system as a means to combat the widespread use of bots.

He explained, “Because a bot costs a fraction of a penny — call it a tenth of a penny — but if somebody even has to pay a few dollars, some minor amount, the effective cost of bots is very high. And then you also have to get a new payment method every time you have a new bot.”

This conversation unfolded amid a dispute between Elon Musk and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a US-based Jewish organization. Musk has accused the ADL of making baseless allegations of anti-Semitism, which he claims have scared away advertisers and harmed his company’s revenue. He has even threatened to pursue legal action against the organization, seeking billions of dollars in damages.

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