Musk brings up possibility of charging ALL users a subscription fee
(www.theguardian.com)
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I think we’re transitioning into subscription based models just in general for internet and social media services. And the era of the “Free” internet where you could make accounts and utilize various websites at no cost to you is over. At least for now.
Now that the proverbial Free Cash in the form of the investment bucks is drying up. And people getting more concerned about privacy and the ultimately invasive nature of modern advertising. A lot of Companies are now hemorrhaging money.
To that end. I think we’ll see various communities fracture off larger wholes. And we’ll see an internet more akin to it’s early days with communities and niche groups largely keeping to themselves and their interests.
If a thing is free, you are the product, or mark.
That means no ads then, right?
Also absolute control over the algorithm you're paying for...?
Given current trends probably more like tiers.
They’ll have a basic tier which will include ads. Then scale up from there. With the top tier being ad free.
And it’s unlikely any company or website will give any of its subscribers any level of control over its algorithms. If you want control like that. Your best bet would open source software/projects
That, IMHO, is why the subscription model will fail. They want the money and still want control over who/what you see.
I don't think there are enough idiots who'll take that deal to make subs profitable. Maybe I'm wrong though. I still can't explain the appeal of the current state of Reddit.
The subscription model I think is going to be the only way forward for a while at least. And it’s not solely Social Media etc. There’s Various other services and apps online that can only afford to be free/extremely low cost. Because they were getting ESG investment bucks and Government handouts. Not because they and by extension their companies were actually profitable.
Hence the recent SNAFU with Unity. The Company has been operating in the Red. And the ESG bucks that they and many other companies were using to offset their operating costs are drying up. So they need a way to raise Capital. Hence the “brilliant” idea they had to charge Game Devs per install of their game if they used Unity in development.
What people want or prefer is going to take a backseat to what’s economically viable. And the economic environment that created the quote “Free internet” is dying.
While I’m sure there’s going to be labors of love that keep some applications and games free/low cost. Those will probably be the distinct minority.
If something becomes a subscription, most people will move onto the next thing.