Ripple CTO David Schwartz objects to Elon Musk’s action of charging a small fee for engaging with X posts.  



Elon Musk stirred the digital landscape with his new move to charge a small fee for new users to use platform X. The plan is to handle issues related to spam and fake accounts, but Ripple CTO David Schwartz has opposed the move, stating that this may not yield the desired result.   



What Does the Ripples CTO Say? 



On April 16, a post from Elon Musk’s X account shocked every individual directly or indirectly linked with the digital space. He is planning to introduce a few systems for the new users on X. To manage spam and fake accounts, Musk has devised an effective plan of implementing a small charge for using platform X.  



“Unfortunately, a small fee for new user write access is the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots”, Musk tweeted. 



I thought you were against censoring any lawful speech on your platform. Now, keeping some lawful speech off X just because it's annoying is so important that you're going to change the fundamental dynamics of the site to make it possible?! https://t.co/bSznL7f1gl — David "JoelKatz" Schwartz (@JoelKatz) April 15, 2024



The increased spam and fake accounts issues caused Musk to introduce such a system. 



David Schwartz criticized Musk’s stance and accused him of compromising the platform’s fundamental principles of free speech in favor of convenience. 



“Now, keeping some lawful speech off X just because it’s annoying is so important that you’re going to change the fundamental dynamics of the site to make it possible?!” he added. 



Additionally, the Ripple CTO emphasized the distinction between combatting bots and suppressing legitimate discourse. Moreover, he criticized the prioritization of convenience over free expression. Schwartz’s condemnation sparked a debate on the nature of censorship and the importance of protecting diverse viewpoints.



In response to a user’s assertion that silencing robots differs from silencing political speech, Schwartz concurred, highlighting the subjective nature of censorship. 



Furthermore, the Ripple CTO argued that while annoying speech may detract from the platform’s quality, it should not be grounds for censorship.







Possible Solutions to the Spam and Fake Account Issue 



On the one hand, Schwartz criticized Musk’s new move and proposed a simple yet profound solution to the ongoing issue of spam and fake accounts on platform X. 



‘thoughtful consideration before speaking’ can help individuals avoid and mitigate such challenges in the digital realm. “People should think for a few seconds before making any statement,” he added. 



Furthermore, ZachXBT, a Web3 sleuth, joined the debate, highlighted the quality of verified scam accounts, and pointed out whether Elon Musk’s plan would reach its final destination.    



ZachXBT shared a snapshot of a fake Wormhole account holding a verified tick as proof. Surprisingly, the verified account used various fraudulent airdrop posts that attempted to scam users.   



The Web3 sleuth argued that a small fee may not be enough to encounter bad actors.
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