X, the social networking platform backed by Elon Musk, has unveiled a new initiative requiring new, unverified accounts to subscribe for a $1 annual fee, enabling them to post and engage with other content on the platform.
This program is presently undergoing testing in New Zealand and the Philippines as a precursor to a global rollout.
It’s important to note that this measure will not impact unverified existing users on the X platform.
New users who choose not to subscribe at the sign-up stage will only have access to “read-only” functionalities, such as viewing posts, watching videos, and following accounts.
At the registration phase, new users will be given the option to choose from different subscription plans, including the $1 fee, X Premium, or Verified Organizations.
While Elon Musk has made significant efforts to transform X, a $44 billion acquisition, into a profitable enterprise, the introduction of this new program is not driven by profit motives, but rather to combat spam.
X clarified its intentions, stating, “This new test was developed to bolster our already successful efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform, and bot activity while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee amount.
It is not a profit driver. And so far, subscription options have proven to be the main solution that works at scale.”
The primary objective of this initiative is to combat bots and spammers on the X platform while preserving accessibility through the nominal fee.
Importantly, existing users will remain unaffected by this change.
Elon Musk had previously alluded to the idea of introducing a fee for using X during a live-streamed conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Although the exact amount was not disclosed at the time, Musk had been considering a monthly subscription model.
In response to concerns raised by Netanyahu about a preponderance of content on X being generated by “an army of bots,” Musk explained, “This is actually a super tough problem.
And it’s probably really the single most important reason that we’re moving to have a small monthly payment for the use of X.
It’s the only way I can think of to combat vast armies of bots because a bot costs a fraction of a penny.”
Musk went on to elaborate that introducing a payment hurdle for bot usage would be an effective deterrent.
He further mentioned plans for a lower-tier pricing option to make it accessible to a broader user base.
The move to a subscription model is seen as a defense against increasingly sophisticated bots as AI capabilities improve.