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Elon Musk, the owner of the social networking site, X, has revealed plans to introduce a new program that will require new, unverified accounts to pay a $1 annual subscription fee in order to post and interact with other users on the platform.
This new program is currently in the testing phase in New Zealand and the Philippines, with the intention of a global rollout. It’s important to note that this change will not impact existing unverified users on the platform.
According to Musk, new users who choose not to subscribe during the signup process will be limited to “read-only” actions, such as reading posts, watching videos, and following accounts.
During the signup process, new users will have the option to select from subscription choices, including the $1 fee, X Premium, or Verified Organisations.
In a statement released by Musk, he explained the purpose of this test: “This new test was developed to enhance our already successful efforts in reducing spam, manipulation, and bot activity on X, all while maintaining platform accessibility through a nominal fee. It is not a profit-driven initiative. So far, subscription options have been the most effective solution at scale.”
Musk emphasized the challenging nature of combating bots and spammers on social media platforms. He highlighted the significance of introducing a small monthly payment to deter vast armies of bots. Bots can operate at a fraction of the cost, but when users need to pay a small amount, it becomes economically unviable for bots to thrive. Musk also pointed out the constraint bots face in obtaining multiple payment methods to bypass such fees.
He further mentioned plans to introduce lower-tier pricing options, aiming to keep the fee nominal. In Musk’s view, implementing a small fee is a critical defense against the increasing sophistication of AI-powered bots, as they become more adept at surpassing CAPTCHA tests, even outperforming humans.
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