Entrepreneur Marc Köhlbrugge has introduced the Expensive Chat – a web-based chat service where typing every character costs a penny. Initially spotted by Motherboard/Vice, the feature was introduced by Köhlbrugge on his official Twitter account as a ‘social experiment.’
Köhlbrugge explains that he wants to observe the reaction of ‘chatters’ when the service is not available for free like the traditional norm.
The site shows a leaderboard on the dashboard with those who have spent the most amount of time and money on the site ranked on the top.
However, Expensive Chat lacks friendly messages and in a short time – it has become littered with ads for companies and services.
The users of the chatroom are utilizing different tactics to gain visibility on the site. For example, some are following the ‘more is merrier’ route and constantly adding posts to get their names on top of the leaderboard. Others are modest and only give a tiny intro about their services followed by the company’s URL.
The founder of the service claims that the site is merely an experiment and should be looked at the same way as well.
He also claims that many public figures are also charging money for chats with them. The only difference is that their earnings go towards charity while he is pocketing the same for added expenses. In fact, he managed to earn around $150 in the few days Expensive Chat has been live.
Expensive Chat accepts payment in forms of Stripe, debit, and credit cards.
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Köhlbrugge explains that he wants to observe the reaction of ‘chatters’ when the service is not available for free like the traditional norm.
The site shows a leaderboard on the dashboard with those who have spent the most amount of time and money on the site ranked on the top.
However, Expensive Chat lacks friendly messages and in a short time – it has become littered with ads for companies and services.
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The users of the chatroom are utilizing different tactics to gain visibility on the site. For example, some are following the ‘more is merrier’ route and constantly adding posts to get their names on top of the leaderboard. Others are modest and only give a tiny intro about their services followed by the company’s URL.
The founder of the service claims that the site is merely an experiment and should be looked at the same way as well.
Also Read: AI-generated Images are Spreading Misinformation across the InternetAccording to Köhlbrugge, public chatrooms often partake an overwhelming number of users and with his initiative; it would be interesting to see how people’s chatting regime changes when every letter costs.
He also claims that many public figures are also charging money for chats with them. The only difference is that their earnings go towards charity while he is pocketing the same for added expenses. In fact, he managed to earn around $150 in the few days Expensive Chat has been live.
Expensive Chat accepts payment in forms of Stripe, debit, and credit cards.
Read Next: Transform Your Pictures Into Emoji Masterpieces With This Fun Web Tool
