X has already started charging new users in New Zealand and the Philippines $1 to use the platform. If you don't subscribe, you will have limited access and can only read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts. Musk thinks charging for the service will help get rid of bots and fake accounts. Since taking over the company last year, he has been trying to get users to pay for an enhanced service called X Premium. Some users already pay $8 per month for the blue check subscription, and the "Not A Bot" subscription is meant to reduce spam and bot activity.
Musk has faced challenges in making money from X, like advertisers stopping ads because of inappropriate content. He has made changes to the platform, like laying off employees and getting rid of content moderation teams, which have affected revenue. Musk blames activists for pressuring advertisers and has tried to bring them back with discounts. Other tech companies, like YouTube and Netflix, have also tried a mix of ads and subscriptions.
The European Commission is investigating X to see if it follows new rules about illegal and harmful content. This investigation started because of the spread of false information on the platform after Hamas attacked Israel. We don't know yet how X will deal with these concerns and change its business model.
Original news source: Elon Musk says X to have two new premium tiers (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and write a brief summary of the main points. They can then share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Students will form small groups and discuss their opinions on whether social media platforms should have subscription options. They will then conduct a poll within their group to see how many agree or disagree with the idea. Each group will share their findings with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words from the article. One member from each team will come to the front of the class and have one minute to draw representations of the words while their team guesses. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Write key words from the article on the board but leave out the vowels. Students will take turns guessing the missing vowels and trying to guess the word. The student who guesses correctly gets to choose the next word.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of social media platforms and subscription options. They will then share their predictions with the class.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Elon Musk announced that X will introduce two new subscription options: one option will have all the features but will still have ads, while the other option will be more expensive but will be ad-free.
X started charging new users in New Zealand and the Philippines to help get rid of bots and fake accounts, as well as to generate revenue for the platform.
The purpose of the "Not A Bot" subscription on X is to reduce spam and bot activity on the platform.
Elon Musk has faced challenges in making money from X, such as advertisers stopping ads because of inappropriate content. He has also had to make changes to the platform, like laying off employees and getting rid of content moderation teams, which have affected revenue.
Musk has tried to bring back advertisers to X by offering them discounts and making changes to the platform to address their concerns about inappropriate content.
The European Commission is investigating X to see if it follows new rules about illegal and harmful content.
The investigation by the European Commission was triggered by the spread of false information on X after Hamas attacked Israel.
It is unclear what changes X might make to its business model in response to the investigation, but they will likely need to address concerns about illegal and harmful content and potentially make adjustments to their content moderation practices.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Elon Musk, the CEO of X (formerly known as Twitter), has announced that the social media platform will two new subscription s. One option will have all the features but will still have ads, while the other option will be more expensive but will be ad-free. The details of these plans have not been revealed yet, and it is if there will be any free options . X has already started charging new in New Zealand and the Philippines $1 to use the . If you don't subscribe, you will have limited access and can only read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts. Musk thinks for the service will help get rid of bots and fake accounts. Since taking over the company last year, he has been trying to get users to pay for an enhanced service called X Premium. Some users already pay $8 per for the blue check subscription, and the "Not A Bot" subscription is meant to reduce spam and bot activity. Musk has challenges in making money from X, like advertisers stopping ads because of inappropriate content. He has made changes to the platform, like laying off employees and getting rid of content teams, which have affected . Musk blames for pressuring advertisers and has tried to bring them back with discounts. Other tech companies, like YouTube and Netflix, have also tried a mix of ads and . The European Commission is investigating X to see if it follows new rules about illegal and harmful . This investigation because of the of false information on the platform after Hamas attacked Israel. We don't know yet how X will deal with these concerns and change its business model.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think about the idea of having to pay for a social media platform like X?
2. How would you feel if you had to pay extra to use X without ads?
3. Do you think charging for the service will actually help get rid of bots and fake accounts? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the concept of a "blue check subscription" on X? Do you think it's worth paying for?
5. How do you feel about the changes that Musk has made to X, like laying off employees and getting rid of content moderation teams?
6. Do you think activists should have the power to pressure advertisers to stop using a platform like X? Why or why not?
7. What are your thoughts on the European Commission investigating X for illegal and harmful content? Do you think it's necessary?
8. How do you think X should address the concerns about false information being spread on the platform?
9. Do you think it's fair for tech companies like X, YouTube, and Netflix to use a mix of ads and subscriptions to make money?
10. What is your opinion on the idea of having limited access to X if you don't subscribe?
11. How would you feel if X introduced free options with limited features alongside the subscription options?
12. Do you think it's important for social media platforms to have ad-free options? Why or why not?
13. What do you think about Elon Musk's approach to making money from X? Do you think it's effective?
14. How do you think X can attract advertisers back to the platform after they stopped using it due to inappropriate content?
15. Do you think other social media platforms should follow X's example and introduce subscription options? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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