Elon Musk recently announced a new plan for his Twitter platform that would allow media outlets to charge users on a per-article basis. According to Musk, this would allow users who do not take out a monthly subscription to pay a higher price to read an occasional article. Although the plan will begin next month, no information has yet been given on pricing or how much of a cut Twitter would take.
This plan raises questions about how its form of micropayment will work, given that other micropayment schemes have failed. Some critics, such as British journalist James Ball, have pointed out that many readers give up as soon as they find a paywall and that publishers would rather have full-time subscribers who generate more advertising revenue.
Despite this, some on Twitter have reacted positively to the plan. Some have pointed out that it is a solution for frequent authors who publish in publications behind paywalls, while others see this as a way to get articles a la carte without the feeling of buying something expensive.
Importantly, this comes in a context where media outlets have been struggling for years to find subscription plans that allow them to cover their operating costs, especially when readers have been used to getting news for free on the Internet. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether Musk’s micropayment plan will be successful and whether it will be beneficial for both the media and the general public.