Are social media companies embracing subscription models in an effort to fatten their profits? — 123rf.com
The days of using social media for free may be coming to an end as more platforms announce that users will need to pay to access certain features.
Take a look at how social media is likely to change as more features, such as verification checkmarks, customer service, and even security-related functions, are locked behind paywalls.
Feeling blue
Twitter is essentially a social networking platform that allows users to communicate and share information through short messages known as tweets.
Each tweet is limited to 280 characters for non-subscribers, which makes the platform well-suited for quick, concise updates and conversations.
The platform made headlines last year when eccentric tech billionaire Elon Musk, the head honcho of Tesla and SpaceX, offered to buy Twitter for US$44bil (RM195.3bil).
He finalised the takeover last October and has since made various changes, the most significant of which is requiring users to pay to get the coveted blue verified checkmark on Twitter.
In the past, the blue checkmark – which indicates that an account has been verified by Twitter as authentic and belonging to a public figure, celebrity, brand, or organisation – was free, though acquiring one was never simple.
The company announced late last year that the checkmark would be exclusive to Twitter Blue, a subscription service it launched in 2021 with a limited set of features.
By paying for Twitter Blue, or what the company describes as a “premium subscription service”, users are also now given access to highly requested features like Edit Tweet for fixing typos.
They can also use features like Undo Tweet, which gives a preview of the tweet so it can be retracted or edited if necessary, before it becomes visible to others, post longer video uploads – 60 minutes compared to four minutes for non-subscribers – and tweet with up to 4,000 characters instead of just 280.
More importantly, Twitter Blue subscribers will be the only ones who can use two-factor authentication (2FA) via SMS to secure their accounts.
From March 20, non-subscribers will not be able to use this feature, even if they had switched it on before.
The company encouraged non-subscribers to use an authentication app or security key, which requires users to have physical possession of the authentication method, to secure their accounts.
Musk defended the decision against detractors, saying that the use of free authentication apps for 2FA will remain free and is much more secure than SMS, in a post on Feb 19.
In an Ars Technica report, cybersecurity experts agreed that two-factor authentication via SMS is more likely to be compromised by bad actors but felt that Musk’s decision was questionable.
“But if their motivation is security, wouldn’t they want to keep paid accounts secure too? It doesn’t make sense to allow the less secure method for paid accounts only,” Lorrie Cranor, director of Carnegie Mellon’s usable privacy and security lab, said in the report.
Jim Fenton, an independent identity privacy and security consultant, argued that Twitter should instead be charging for a new authentication method such as passkey, which is increasingly being adopted by other companies.
Passkey requires users to authenticate their identity via biometrics instead of just their usernames and passwords.
“Twitter would basically be saying that they’re substituting a new authentication method that also doesn’t require buying a hardware security key. But the Twitter Blue exception still wouldn’t make sense,” Fenton said.
Some users have joked that Twitter will soon start charging for being able to type certain letters.
Twitter has also promised its premium service subscribers “Half ads”, a feature that will bombard them with fewer ads.
According to TechCrunch, Musk has also previously talked about introducing costlier ad-free plans.
Currently, Twitter Blue is only available in select countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Indonesia.
The pricing for Twitter Blue varies – it costs US$8 (RM35) per month for web-only and US$11 (RM48) a month for mobile.
The reaction of others to those who have paid for the checkmark has been unkind, to say the least.
There have been many reports of them being mocked on Twitter and also becoming the subject of memes in which a person or a character will point at them while laughing, with the line “this (expletive) paid for Twitter”.
Meta matters
You can blame Musk, as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has followed suit in announcing plans to roll out Meta Verified, a subscription service that will allow users to get verified on Facebook and Instagram.
The company explained on the Meta website that subscribers whose accounts have been verified will get a “verified badge” on Facebook and/or Instagram.
Additionally, it stated that Meta Verified users will receive more protection through “proactive account monitoring” to shield them from impersonators who might target them due to their expanding online audience.
Zuckerberg said that Meta Verified users will also get “direct access to customer support”, which the website explained as access to a real person for common account issues.
In a reply to a user who commented that getting direct access to customer service “is the real value” compared to getting a blue checkmark, Zuckerberg said he agreed.
“Also, once you’ve verified your account with a government ID, we can more effectively find and remove any imposter accounts since we know which account is the real you,” he commented.
Some users have hit back against the decision, saying that access to customer service should always be free.
Zuckerberg defended the decision by saying that the company already provides protection and a certain level of support for all users.
“But verifying government IDs and providing direct access to customer support for millions or billions of people costs a significant amount of money.
“Subscription fees will cover this and will also pace how many people sign up so we’ll be able to ensure quality as we scale,” he added.
When people tweeted that Zuckerberg was imitating Twitter by charging users to be verified, Musk responded with one word: “inevitable”.
Other features Meta Verified users will enjoy include “increased visibility and reach” in some parts of the platform, such as search, comments and recommendations.
Meta Verified is available for purchase on Instagram and Facebook for users in New Zealand and Australia for US$11.99 (RM53) monthly for Web and US$14.99 (RM66) monthly for iOS and Android.
It is expected to be rolled out to users in other countries soon.
Cash and content
Then there’s TikTok and its Live Subscription, where creators can ask fans to pay a monthly fee to get perks such as badges, custom emotes designed by the creators that can be used during live sessions, and a feature called Subscribers-Only Chat to get exclusive access to the creators.
The company said the feature is currently being offered to some creators on an invite-only basis.
Both creators and subscribers need to be at least 18 years old to be able to access or purchase a Live Subscription.
According to a TechCrunch report, subscription prices are expected to start at US$4.99 (RM22) a month.
It also noted that TikTok could be following in the footsteps of rival streaming site Twitch, which takes a cut of between 30% and 50% of subscription revenue.
Two other social media platforms made headlines last year when they introduced subscription services.
Last August, Snapchat rolled out Snapchat+ for US$3.99 (RM17) per month, offering subscribers access to exclusive features and “prioritised support”.
This includes Priority Story Replies, which prioritises responses to Snap Stars – its top creators – to make the messages more noticeable to them; My Story Timer, which will allow users to reduce or extend the time before posts disappear instead of the default time of 24 hours; and customisable features for icons, themes and chat wallpaper.
The company claimed that over two million users have subscribed to Snapchat+ since it was launched.
Telegram introduced a subscription service, Telegram Premium, last year, offering users perks such as faster media downloads, bigger uploads (4GB files vs 2GB for normal users), a voice-to-text feature, unique stickers and animated profile pictures.
Of course, they also get the Premium Badge icon next to their name to indicate their status as a subscriber. Locally, Telegram Premium costs RM22.90 per month.
The recent moves made by social media companies point to the fact that they are going to depend on users, and not just ads alone, to make a big profit.
However, the question remains as to how many will be willing to pay to enhance their experience, get proper, personal support and secure their account better.
