“X Platform Introduces $1 Fee for New Users in Trial to Combat Spam”
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has initiated a trial program in which they are charging a $1 fee to new users in the Philippines and New Zealand. This test aims to reduce the prevalence of spam and fake accounts on the platform, which was previously known as Twitter. The company announced that it has started experimenting with an annual subscription model for new and unverified accounts. This program, known as “Not a Bot,” does not apply to existing users.
The reasons for selecting only New Zealand and the Philippines for this test and why these countries were chosen are not entirely clear. According to the X support account, this new test was developed to enhance their ongoing efforts to combat spam, platform manipulation, and bot activity while maintaining platform accessibility with a small fee. Importantly, it is emphasized that this fee is not intended to generate profits.
Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X approximately a year ago, he has made various changes to the platform, including renaming it and reducing its workforce, which includes the content moderation team. Some outside watchdog groups have raised concerns that these changes have allowed misinformation to thrive on the platform, particularly following the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Previously, Musk introduced premium subscriptions as a means to boost the platform’s revenue. One of the initial changes he made was to alter the blue check verification system by offering a service that granted verification checks to those willing to pay $8 per month. However, this move faced challenges due to an influx of impostor accounts, resulting in the temporary suspension of the service shortly after its launch.
Under the test program, new subscribers will have access to basic functions, such as posting content, liking or bookmarking posts, and reposting, quoting, or replying to posts from other accounts. Users who do not subscribe will be limited to reading posts, watching videos, and following other accounts on the platform.
