In a significant move aimed at tackling spam, manipulation, and bot activity on the platform, the company formerly known as Twitter, now renamed “X” by its new CEO, Elon Musk, has introduced a sign-up fee of $1 (82p) in New Zealand and the Philippines. This fee grants users access to most key features, and new accounts that do not pay will be restricted to reading and watching content, as well as following other accounts.
Elon Musk, who has been focusing on monetizing X’s user base since taking ownership of the company, has long voiced concerns about the presence of fake accounts on the platform. In a recent discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk revealed plans to introduce a “small monthly payment” for all users to combat the proliferation of bots.
Watch on MKFM: Elon Musk’s X has started testing a potential sign-up fee for new users.
X already offers a premium subscription for £9.60 a month, which provides users with benefits like a verification tick, the ability to write longer posts, and prioritization in search results. Despite acknowledging that the new $1 fee won’t entirely eliminate bots, Musk said he believed it would make it significantly more difficult to manipulate the platform.
Meanwhile, the platform has a pay-per-reach promotion system, changing the way users can boost the visibility of their content. Under this system, the cost depends on the desired reach by the user. During a test run conducted by our reporter, it was observed that a three-day promotion with a daily budget of $100 resulted in an estimated reach of 16,000 to 62,000 people per day, with a total cost of $300. However, this is based on location and it’s crucial to note that the platform includes a disclaimer stating that “Estimated reach is approximate, and actual reach cannot be guaranteed.”
The move to introduce user fees comes at a time when X has faced scrutiny for allowing the spread of misinformation regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. It has also faced pressure from EU officials to take action against misleading content, leading to changes in its community notes feature, which now requires all notes to include a source.
