Elon Musk's X Introduces $1 Annual Fee to Curb Spam and Fake Accounts
X, formerly known as Twitter, has initiated a new trial program in New Zealand and the Philippines in an attempt to crack down on spam and the creation of fake accounts on the platform. The program that has been labelled “Not a Bot” charges new and unverified users a $1 (£0.82) annual fee in exchange for access to essential features, such as tweeting, retweeting, liking posts, and replying to posts. New users who do not want to pay the charge will be able to create a free “read-only” account.
The move comes as X aims to reduce spam, manipulation, and bot activity on its platform. Those who choose not to subscribe will still have access to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts, but they won't be able to actively engage with the platform.
Existing members in New Zealand and the Philippines will not be affected by this change, and they can continue using the platform for free. However, all new accounts in these regions will be required to verify their phone numbers.
Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter for $44 billion last year, has been vocal about the need to address this problem. He argues that imposing even a minimal fee significantly raises the cost for bots, which can be created for only a fraction of a penny. Musk has emphasised that this measure is not driven by profit.
While X has been experimenting with premium subscription services, like X Premium, costing $8 a month in the US, the current trial focuses on addressing the issue of spam and fake accounts. By introducing this modest annual fee, X aims to strike a balance between accessibility and security.
One potential risk of placing X behind a paywall is the possibility of losing a significant portion of its user base, which could subsequently impact advertising revenue, the company's primary source of income. Despite this, Musk and his team remain committed to their goal of providing a more genuine and bot-free social media experience.
