X, formerly known as Twitter, has launched a trial in New Zealand and the Philippines, imposing an annual fee on new users for accessing the platform’s core features.
This move is expected to be expanded to include all new users worldwide.
During the trial, new users in the Philippines will pay approximately $0.75 per year, while those in New Zealand will pay around $0.85 annually.
In return, they gain the ability to post and actively engage on the platform. Users who opt not to pay will retain the ability to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts, but they will be unable to post or engage with other users.
In a statement, X explained that this fee aims to evaluate a potential strategy for combating bots and spammers on the platform, while still maintaining accessibility through a nominal fee.
Bots refer to automated accounts run by computer programs instead of human users.
This annual subscription fee marks one of the notable changes introduced to the platform after entrepreneur Elon Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in the previous year.
Subsequent alterations include staff layoffs, reduced content moderation, and making the blue tick, formerly a symbol of verified accounts, accessible to anyone willing to pay an $8 annual fee. Additionally, the platform underwent a rebranding in July, adopting the name X and discarding its iconic blue bird logo.
Also Read: Elon Musk: Social Media Platform X Could Go Behind Paywall
X clarified that this new fee aims to reinforce ongoing efforts to combat spam, the manipulation of the platform, and bot activity. Existing users in the Philippines and New Zealand remain unaffected by these changes.
In a recent report by Reuters, X CEO Linda Yaccarino indicated that the company intends to test a three-tier subscription service based on the number of ads displayed to users. Musk had previously suggested the concept of an annual subscription in September, emphasizing its potential to counter bots, which are frequently employed to artificially amplify political messages or promote racial hatred.
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