X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, has reportedly started asking potential buyers to purchase inactive user accounts for a fee of $50,000.
The move comes after Musk previously suggested implementing an account marketplace.
Emails uncovered by Forbes indicate that X’s “@Handle team” is facilitating the transactions, which Musk proposed last year as a way to “free up” inactive usernames. Neither he nor X have officially commented on the reported account sales.
Plan aims to tackle bot and troll accounts
Musk’s idea for an account marketplace first emerged in response to a user proposing the concept on X in November 2022. At the time, Musk said the marketplace could help combat bot and troll accounts that occupy identifiers.
He suggested that these dormant or fake accounts could be made available to others to purchase and put into active use. This seems to be the motivation behind X now seeking buyers willing to pay $50,000 per mango.
X employees submitting sales requests
Forbes obtained emails showing X employees contacting potential account buyers with $50,000 price tags. The emails indicated updated guidelines, procedures and X fees related to profile identifiers.
The report indicates that X has been proactively facilitating account sales through its internal @Handle team rather than simply creating a broad market for public exchange.
Part of Musk’s commitment to “release” inactive accounts
Earlier this year, Musk suggested that up to 1.5 billion X usernames could be “freed up” by deleting inactive profiles and reselling them.
In May, X began cleaning up accounts that had been abandoned by their original owners. This purge paved the way for reassigning these identifiers to new users for a substantial fee.
The initiative aims to increase the value and revenue of X
The paid accounts marketplace represents Musk and X’s strategy to extract more value from the platform’s vast cache of usernames.
Since X’s valuation fell below Musk’s purchase price last year, selling handles could help boost revenue. Musk has set ambitious goals to return X to profitability by 2024.
Earning substantial sums for recycled accounts could support that goal and reduce X’s losses. The company also hopes to further rebuild its advertising base.
Ethical issues surrounding account ownership persist
Some users have raised ethical issues around X profiting from the sale of established accounts to others against the wishes of the original owner.
There are also concerns that purchased accounts could allow for phishing or harassment by obtaining reputable identifiers.
However, Musk maintains that inactive profiles are better off being revived by active users who find value in a handle.
The response to the initiative remains unclear
It is not clear whether X will attract buyers willing to pay the high price for unused accounts. $50,000 is prohibitively expensive for most people looking for a specific username.
The launch of a paid verification system on the platform also met with disappointing acceptance. But X is likely looking to court deep-pocketed brands that are interested in high-profile accounts.
Time will tell if the account market gains significant momentum as X looks for new ways to monetize its platform.
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Categories: Technology
Source: vtt.edu.vn