Well, as he seems to have driven off a significant number of advertisers, he has already destroyed the market for his product. Charging users might be the only way to add revenue in the short term.
But I think he’s catastrophically misreading the elasticity of the demand for his product. If he limits engagement by the platform’s more prolific users, engagement overall will plummet and he can kiss goodbye to what advertisers he has left.
I don’t use Twitter but sometimes look at it when I follow posted links to it. I don’t recall ever seeing any ads.
The ads come and go. You’ll go days without seeing any, and then suddenly there’s an ad every third post. What’s interesting is the change in the size of the businesses of the advertisers; you used to see major corporations and now it’s Joe’s Pizza Emporium.
I’m kind of torn as to how I think it will play out.
On the one hand, you’re absolutely right, many large advertisers have left Twitter, and I have noticed a significant downturn in the quality (such as it is) of ads on the platform. They also recently announced they are pulling their free API tier and will be charging outrageous rates for API requests which will likely result in many bot-powered accounts dying off. For some accounts like Would It Dong? you just shrug and say “Oh well, was nice while it lasted”; for public interest accounts like severe weather notification bots, it’s objectively a bad thing.
On the other hand, though, while you’re right about this…
…it also goes both ways. Yes, it means that generally few people will use a platform just for the platform’s (or its leadership’s) sake, but it also means that people will generally tolerate a lesser platform (or lesser leadership) to stay in touch with their communities. Facebook, despite all of the heinous shit we now know they’ve been up to for years, still hasn’t cratered for this very reason. People have kicked the tires on Mastodon, Post.News, and now Spoutible, and at some point they’ll try Jack Dorsey’s new network, but so far, for the most part, they’re staying put on Twitter because that’s where their communities are.
Twitter’s huge advantage as one of the incumbent OG social networks can’t really be understated. I think we’re going to have to see a mass walkout of big names - journalists, celebrities, athletes, politicians, corporations, etc. - and the proletariat in order for another network to become truly viable. The idea of putting those posting/DM limits on free accounts is just so remarkably stupid - worse than any other decision so far and unprecedented for really any social network of its type - that I’m not sure even Elon is capable of that. If he is, though, I think it’s just as likely that many people who use Twitter for work simply expense Twitter Blue as a cost of doing business. The rest might just stumble along with a free account.
Just got back from my Rivian R1S demo ride here in Austin.
All I can say is, Ho. Lee. Shit. That was all sorts of fun and I’m excited for the vehicle delivery in the next few months.
‘Long Way Up’ on Apple+ TV is a very nice commercial for Rivian trucks.
At least Elon is focused on the things that really matter, that being his own profile.
He and Lauren Bobert could have great conversations about that
I loved “Long Way Down.” The title song by Stereophonics is also pretty damn good.
ETA: Really nice you posting @Ron_Brand Hope you do it more often.
Downloading it for my commute.
Gracias!
Is intetactions a new word?
I loved it too. Beautiful scenery. What a trip.
Good news everybody! Musk had the Twitter engineering staff working hard at it all day, and they’ve been able to fix Musk’s account.
What’s going to happen first? The CyberTruck is released, a manned mission to Mars or…
Totally normal.
All the money in the world can’t buy self worth.
But it can buy booze and hookers. Which are worth almost as much.
Secret spy cam footage of the recent meeting between Musk and the remaining Twitter engineers:
