Elon Musk has suggested that Twitter could start charging Twitter users a monthly fee for access to the social media platform. The proposal from Musk comes as he pursues a takeover bid for the company.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the billionaire Tesla CEO said the paid model would depend on whether users want an ad-free Twitter.
“Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing,” Musk wrote, adding, “Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users.”
Musk also floated the idea of Twitter adopting a subscription model in addition to ads. He suggested a low cost of around $2 a month could give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators.
Also read: How to subscribe to Twitter Blue
This is not the first time Musk has suggested altering Twitter’s business model. He previously proposed stripping ads from Twitter’s premium subscription service, Twitter Blue, and said he wants Twitter’s underlying algorithms to be open source to increase public trust.
The concept of charging users for unfettered access to Twitter would be a major departure from the platform’s existing ad-based model, which allows free access for all users.
Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion last month, but the deal is still awaiting regulatory approval and faces potential challenges. His ideas for revamping Twitter have concerned some advocates who argue that a lone billionaire should not dictate key issues around free speech and online safety.
But Musk claims opening Twitter’s algorithms and funding the platform partly through subscriptions can enable healthier public discourse with less censorship and manipulation. The coming months will reveal whether Musk’s proposed shift from ad dependency to diversifying Twitter’s business model could feasibly work.
