Elon Musk's X is making live streaming a paid feature
Social media platform X has announced plans to make live streaming a premium feature. This decision sets it apart as the only major social platform to charge for such a service, while competitors like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok continue to offer it for free. "Starting soon, only Premium subscribers will be able to livestream (create live video streams) on X," the company stated.
Take a look at the official post
X Premium offers more than just live streaming
X has not provided a specific reason for this change. The company's premium plan is known for offering features such as longform writing, post editing, and ad-free feeds. The decision to place live streaming behind a paywall is unconventional, yet it could be intended to attract users to its paid subscriptions, which start at $3 per month for the Basic tier and increase to $8 per month for Premium and $16 per month for Premium+.
Charging for basic features under consideration
The latest decision comes as part of a broader trend of X seeking to monetize its basic features. Recently, the Elon Musk-owned company introduced a $1 annual charge for new accounts in New Zealand and the Philippines to gain posting rights. Although this scheme is still described as a test by the company, Musk has hinted at his intention to extend this fees to all new users in the future.
