“Ads are too common on Twitter and too big. I’m taking steps to address both in the coming weeks,” Musk tweeted on Saturday. And for those who choose to, “there will be a more expensive subscription that allows for zero ads,” he added.
Radical change
If Musk implements the changes, it will mean a sea change in Twitter’s revenue model. Until recently, the company had to rely primarily on advertising revenue, before launching a paid subscription service in mid-December last year. People get a coveted blue check in exchange for service. This so-called Twitter Blue is currently available in the US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
Musk, a billionaire and also the CEO of electric car maker Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX, took over Twitter in October. Soon after he reorganized the company, laying off about half of the staff. The mass layoffs raised concerns that the firm was left with insufficient staff to moderate post content. The number of racist and hateful tweets has increased, scaring major advertisers.