Ayodeji Ayenuwa
In a bid to combat spam and improve user experience, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, formerly Twitter, has introduced a trial program targeting new and unverified users in New Zealand and the Philippines. The program requires these users to pay a nominal $1 annual subscription fee.
“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,” the company stated.
Under this trial, new users subscribing to the program gain access to crucial features such as posting content, liking posts, retweeting, and replying to posts. Those who decided not to subscribe are limited to read-only actions, allowing them to view posts and follow accounts but not engage actively.
Elon Musk, the Chairman of X, revealed the motive behind the subscription fee, saying, “Correct, read for free, but $1/year to write. It’s the only way to fight bots without blocking real users. This won’t stop bots completely, but it will be 1000X harder to manipulate the platform.”
The platform also introduces phone number verification for new accounts to enhance security. Importantly, this trial exclusively affects new users in New Zealand and the Philippines, while existing users remain unaffected.
X’s approach seeks to strike a balance between accessibility and security, with the goal of creating a more authentic and trustworthy user environment, addressing concerns related to misinformation and spam.
The recent changes align with Elon Musk’s broader strategy to enhance X’s performance and profitability. While the trial involves an annual subscription, there are indications that X may introduce additional premium tiers, including ad-free options. X commits to sharing updates on the trial’s outcomes as it continues to refine its strategies and uphold platform integrity.
For more details, visit help.twitter.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
