We’ve all been there, trying to read an article from our favorite publications when we’re hit by a paywall. At that moment you either have the option of subscribing to the site or clicking away and accepting defeat.
Twitter may soon be introducing a third option.
Elon Musk announced via Twitter that next month the platform will roll out a feature that will allow media publishers to charge users for access to a single article with “one click.”
Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click.
This enables users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per article price for when they want to read an occasional article.…— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2023
Musk adds that the feature would “enable users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per article price for when they want to read an occasional article,” calling it a “win-win for both media orgs & the public.”
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The reactions to the announcement have been varied. Some people are arguing that this is a good step in breaking down the paywall barrier and expanding access to news and information.
“This makes far more sense than media charging for monthly subs. It also allows people to absorb a broad range of media opinions, ad hoc, rather than being fed all their content from one or two sources,” said Twitter user @SamTwits.
Others, however, are concerned about how it will affect media publishers. Readers may now be encouraged to pay for individual articles instead of monthly subscriptions which could hurt publisher revenue which they need to continue to produce content.
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Other concerns include the possible increase in over-sensationalized headlines to get readers to pay for individual articles and publications charging extremely high amounts per article making information even more inaccessible.
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