Elon Musk’s vision of implementing a subscription fee for all X (formerly Twitter) users is beginning to materialize, with the platform initiating its first move in that direction. The first phase of this transition involves introducing an annual fee of $1 to new users, initially targeting individuals in New Zealand and the Philippines. This new fee structure is being introduced under the model called “not a bot“.
In response to Elon Musk’s recent proposal to address the bot-related issues on X, the platform has announced a significant development. According to Fortune, the company is set to initiate a subscription fee of $1 per year for users in New Zealand and the Philippines. This fee will grant new users access to features such as tweeting, replying, quoting, and bookmarking posts on the web version of X. Notably, this subscription fee will exclusively affect new users, with existing accounts remaining unaffected. Furthermore, new users will be required to verify their phone numbers during the registration process, potentially contributing to a more secure user environment. It remains unclear whether these changes will extend to the app version of the platform in the future.
This strategic move by X marks a significant step in exploring alternative revenue streams and addressing concerns related to bot activity on the platform. The introduction of a subscription fee is likely to serve as a test case, gauging user response and potential scalability to other regions or additional premium features on the platform.
New users who opt not to pay the subscription fee will experience limitations on their account functionality. These limitations will restrict them to “read-only” actions, encompassing activities like reading posts, viewing videos, and following other users. This approach aims to encourage new users to subscribe and enhance their engagement with the platform, offering an option for a more comprehensive experience while maintaining access to essential content.
By implementing this fee-based model for certain user activities, X is taking steps to enhance the quality of interactions on its platform while also exploring alternative revenue sources. This strategic decision allows the platform to strike a balance between accessibility and profitability, potentially serving as a model for other regions and platforms facing similar challenges related to user engagement and bot-related issues.
This move signifies X’s proactive approach to addressing issues of spam and bots that have been plaguing social media platforms. By testing this subscription method in select regions, the company can assess user response and fine-tune its approach, potentially paving the way for similar measures in other parts of the world, thus enhancing user experience and platform integrity.
You can see the response of various users to this announcement in the following tweet from X Support.
Starting today, we're testing a new program (Not A Bot) in New Zealand and the Philippines. New, unverified accounts will be required to sign up for a $1 annual subscription to be able to post & interact with other posts. Within this test, existing users are not affected.
— Support (@Support) October 17, 2023
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