New beta social media platform Post.News became even more attractive today after Aussies woke to learn that Twitter Blue Mk3 released, having suffered a series of infamous false starts, with an increase in price from $11 AUD per month to $13 AUD.

Twitter Blue now comes with the added threat that non-subscribers will be suppressed in the platform’s feed—something I find hard to believe as I can’t imagine social media’s masses succumbing to any extortion where commercial “free speech” means hate.

While Twitter has struggled since its buyout by Elon Musk months ago, halving its advertisers as the mogul tries to reshape his platform into a megaphone of right-wing extremism, conspiracy hysteria and narcissistic worship, Post.News found favour with journalists—much as the epidemiological community has found in the old-school equally beta set-up of Mastodon.

Under Twitter Blue’s latest incarnation: new subscribers must pay Twitter directly (Apple’s App Store has been shut out) and provide a “verified” phone number with no word on data security. Its 30-second typo fix has gone while its 30-minute Edit feature remains (all “Edit” meant was that an old post still survived but in a non-interactive form). And unlike the Apple Store—where if something went awry—Twitter now offers no refunds at all.

Given that Elon Musk believes that his social platform is worth more to people than streaming entertainment services, I predict that the $3-4 billion loss he’s already racked up since buying Twitter for $44 billion, will only grow.

Which goes to prove the old adage: parents build fortunes, idiot children destroy them—or in current parlance, Twitter hasn’t convinced me that Elon Musk holds any special talent at all.

But this is what you get when people go into business to hate: rather than serve society and profit from that added gain.

That’s the story of social media after all. Born without purpose, misused for political gain, still—harnessed by the people to topple governments, yet always someone’s private property on a whim to the masses.

Musk’s competitors are circling.

UPDATE 4 PM

Apple iOS users can now subscribe to Twitter Blue via its App Store and will note an odd price. $19 AUD per month. Some days ago Elon Musk voiced dissatisfaction with Apple’s cut on apps it sells. Accordingly, Musk believes iOS users will accept a $6 AUD per month premium for App Store access allowing him to recoup Apple’s take. A “verifiable phone number” is still required of course but the App Store guarantees that.

© 2022 Adam Parker.

Picture: Part of what Australian Twitter users see today in their profile settings. Follow me on Post.News @adingtonp and on Mastodon @adingtonp@aus.social