X is upping their prices, but are the new benefits worth it? Bluesky is charging full-steam ahead, adding both new features and new users. Meanwhile, we have the latest in the TikTok drama from none other than the President-elect himself. Let’s see what we have this week in social news.
1. X Premium+ users will see a 30% price increase for subscription
The details of the pricing increases are all in this blog post from X itself, but Social Samosa has done a good job breaking it down.
X, formerly Twitter, has announced a significant price adjustment for its Premium+ subscription service, raising the monthly cost from $16 to $22, effective December 21, 2024. The annual subscription will now cost $229, marking a 30% increase from its previous rate.
Accrding to X, this will come with a lot of perks, including:
Why the change?
- Ads-free: X Premium+ is now completely ads-free, providing an uninterrupted browsing experience. This significant enhancement is reflected in the new pricing.
- More features: As this update goes into effect today, Premium+ subscribers will enjoy higher priority support from @Premium, access to new features such as Radar, and higher limits on our most cutting-edge Grok AI models, ensuring you’re always ahead of the curve. Increased pricing allows us to invest more into making Premium+ better and better over time.
- Supporting creators: Your subscription now more directly fuels our evolving creator program. We’ve shifted our revenue share model to reward content quality and engagement rather than ad views alone. Your Premium+ subscription fee contributes to this new, more equitable system where creator earnings are tied to the overall value they bring to X, not impressions of ads.
2. Telegram rolled out some big updates
Telegram is making some big changes. Their first update of 2025 is a big one and includes a third party account verification for new accounts, the ability to turn gifts into NFTs and some new filter options for messaging.
“This decentralized platform for additional verification will help prevent scams and reduce misinformation — with a unique proactive solution that sets a new safety standard for social platforms,” Telegram said in a blog post.
3. Bluesky adds Trending Topics… and hits 25 million users
Trending Topics are a key element of most social platforms and help users see what’s happening in real-time… and Bluesky rolled out the feature just as they reached 25 million users.
4. Trump has filed a request to postpone the impending TikTok ban
The President-elect filed an amicus brief Friday through solicitor general nominee John Sauer to postpone the ban—set for January 19th—and give the incoming administration time to resolve the issue.
The brief asks the Court to consider delaying the divestment deadline while deliberating on the matter. Trump’s team argues that he possesses the “dealmaking expertise” and “political will” to negotiate a solution that would address national security concerns while preserving the platform.
“President Trump opposes banning TikTok in the United States at this juncture, and seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office,” the filing said.
