Things to do

The latest Twitter feature will charge a fee to send DMs

Twitter creates a new revenue stream with its latest feature

Twitter Is Adding Calls , and Encrypted Messaging.CEO Elon Musk made the announcement via a tweet on May 9, CNN reports.Release of encrypted DMs [direct messages] V1.0 should happen tomorrow. This will grow in sophistication rapidly. The acid test is that I could not see your DMs even if there was a gun to my head, Elon Musk, via Twitter.Coming soon will be voice and video chat from your handle to anyone on this platform, so you can talk to people anywhere in the world without giving them your phone number, Elon Musk, via Twitter.The move comes as Musk's latest attempt to grow the platform following decreased advertising revenue.The new features could put Twitter in competition with Meta, the owner of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.The new features could put Twitter in competition with Meta, the owner of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.According to CNN, billions of people communicate via those platforms daily.Last July, Twitter only reported "238 million monetizable daily users," CNN reports.Since acquiring the company, Musk has made a number of changes that have received mixed reactions.Several celebrities and media organizations have either left or threatened to leave the platform over policy changes.But others, such as Tucker Carlson, have embraced the new era of Twitter.The right-wing commentator recently announced that he'll be relaunching his show on Twitter after being fired by Fox News last month because the platform supports free speech.The right-wing commentator recently announced that he'll be relaunching his show on Twitter after being fired by Fox News last month because the platform supports free speech

By Ebony Williams

June 19, 2023

Since buying Twitter for $44 billion, Elon Musk’s main focus has been creating new revenue streams. First came Twitter Blue, which scrapped the platform’s verification program in favor of a subscription for $8 per month. Now Twitter is hoping users will be willing to pay to send DMs to certain “very important Tweeters.”

According to The New York Times, a new feature is being rolled out where Twitter users will be charged to send direct messages to a celebrity, politician or other big name user. The new feature will charge a “few dollars per message.”

ExplorePeachtree Corners ranked in top 20 places to raise a family in the U.S.

In the meantime, the social media platform is trying to eliminating the number of bots and spam messages. Musk declared in April 2022 in intention to “defeat the spam bots or die trying,” but according to The Wall Street Journal, “Twitter is about the same as before Musk took over.”

Explore12-year-old wins Doodle for Google contest

According to Business Insider, “Musk said at least 20% of Twitter accounts are fake or spam accounts, but Twitter’s lawyers said his chosen data firms found the number to be more like 5% to 11%.”

About the Author

More Stories

The Latest

Credit: JP Schoemer

Where can I find it?

15 family-friendly things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend

When to start planning each part of your Thanksgiving feast

Featured

Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Prosecutor takes helm of Georgia case against Trump. But will he move forward?

A veteran Georgia prosecutor will decide the fate of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' election interference case against Donald Trump and his allies.

With some solar power tax breaks expiring, Georgians rush to catch the sun

Georgia solar installers say they’re seeing a surge of customers trying to install rooftop solar systems before federal tax credits go away at the end of the year.

‘Automatic for the People’: Weaver D’s still bonds Athens as era nears end

After feeding everyone from R.E.M. to Brian Kemp, and coining a phrase that went global, Dexter Weaver is preparing to close his storied Athens soul food restaurant.