I don't think it will happen even though there is an actual cost to account creation. I think the worry would be it would scare people away and it would give the anti Steemit "ponzi" people ammunition.
That said I think it would be fair if not popular.
Another alternative would be to make it so that new accounts need to buy $15 worth of Steem and power it up.
That would both create demand for Steem and increase the amount being powered up - hence reduce the the liquid Steem on the market.
but when it is "FREE" people say "It is too good to be true" :D
Each account actually cost something - it is just being paid for by someone else - sponsored accounts from the faucet, did you know that?
It does cost people "something". They have to authenticate with their Facebook or Reddit account, solve captchas, etc. I do think paying for an account instead with Bitcoin/altcoins should be an option though - many cryptocurrency enthusiasts would prefer this over authenticating with their social accounts (which they may not even have). One member of the local Blockchain Meetup group got irate when he found out you have to use Facebook or Reddit to get an account and swore he'd never use Steemit for this reason. I know ANONSTEEM exists and is great but new users won't figure that out.
Anyway, regarding the cost of a new account from the faucet - is this the @steemit account with the four million steem burning a hole in its pocket? http://steemwhales.com/
I you could elaborate on that faucet aspect a bit more I think it would help us new to Steemit to better understand the account creation cost in the first place..
I did understand there was a cost, but I thought it more of a mining resource type cost, I know my friend got her account from a well known Steemit member who haad offered to creat accounts on youtube, but I think it only had 4 steem power in it...
Now I see anonasteem and a Russian selling accounts, it's very confusing for us newbies...
Thanks.
Of course. It costs 3 steem each. I know that. I'm not personally against it but you know what certain quarters of the crypto community are like - they cry scam at the slightest thing - even when they know there is a reason for it.
New accounts get 10 Steem these days. The ones created through the site with Facebook or Reddit verification, that is.
OK I didn't know that. Thanks. Why has it gone up BTW? Is it linked to the price?
Not sure why it went up. My guess is the same as yours, because of the price (of Steem).
that sounds like a much better idea, but then we need to show them that there is a difference of their 15$ account to an 0$ account.
Well you could make it so that they need to pay $15 before they can post. Otherwise they can just comment and upvote.