A report last year revealed that Elon Musk had plans to introduce a new charge for users who have just registered on X (formerly Twitter) on the grounds that this would be the only way to make the platform free of bots. Now Musk himself has confirmed his intentions and revealed more details about this potential fee.
X to charge new users a fee
In a post on X, Musk told a user that a “small fee” to let new accounts post on the platform is the “only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots.” He also argued that AI tools can easily pass “you’re a robot” tests. In another post, the owner of X said that users who choose not to pay the fee will still be able to follow other accounts and read posts for free.
Those who don’t pay to unlock the option to post will get it free of charge after a period of three months. Code found in the X app confirms the change, as you can see below:
“Subscribe to unlock the ability to post and engage. New unverified users are required to pay a small annual fee before you’re able to perform any write actions on web, including posting, liking, bookmarking, and replying. This is to reduce bots and spam to make the experience better for everyone. You can still follow accounts and browse X for free,” a message reads.
There is no word on when this system will come into effect or how much the fee will cost. A previous rumor said that X wanted to charge $1 a year from non-verified users.
9to5Mac’s take
Ever since Musk acquired Twitter, he has been saying that he would put an end to bots and spam accounts. This was one of the arguments for letting users pay $8 a month to get a blue verified badge. However, this had no effect on putting an end to bots – in fact, there are a lot of bots that pay for the verified badge and impersonate other people.
It’s unclear exactly how a new fee will prevent bot accounts and spam on the platform.
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