Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), has initiated its strategy to charge users for posting content. Starting from October 17, 2023, X introduced a new subscription tier called “Not A Bot,” initially available to new users in the Philippines and New Zealand. This subscription plan costs $1 per year, although X notes that prices may vary by country and currency.
Under the “Not A Bot” subscription, new users will have the ability to perform various actions on the web version of the platform. These actions include posting content, liking posts, replying, reposting, quoting other users’ posts, and bookmarking posts. On the other hand, users who opt not to pay the $1 annual fee will only have “read-only” privileges. They can read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts, but they won’t be able to engage in posting or interacting with other users.
Elon Musk, in a recent X post, explained that while the platform will remain free for reading, users will be required to pay the $1 annual fee to post content. This move is aimed at combating the pervasive problem of bots on the platform without imposing a complete block on genuine users. Musk acknowledges that it won’t completely eradicate bots but believes it will significantly increase the difficulty for those trying to manipulate the platform.
Musk’s decision to charge users stems from the need to address the influx of bots that have plagued the platform. He had mentioned previously that X/Twitter would be transitioning towards a small monthly payment to use the X system. This fee would serve as a deterrent for bot accounts. He indicated that the monthly fee might amount to “a few dollars or something.”
The “Not a Bot” subscription plan’s primary objective is to combat spam, platform manipulation, and bot activity. It seeks to strike a balance between maintaining platform accessibility and implementing a nominal fee. The test rollout of this subscription will not impact existing users on the platform.
In the two countries where this plan was initiated, pricing is set at $1.43 NZD per year for New Zealand and ₱42.51 PHP per year for the Philippines. New X accounts created in these regions will be required to verify their phone numbers as part of the registration process.
Elon Musk’s leadership and strategic changes in the wake of Twitter’s rebranding to X have made waves, including the mass layoffs of an estimated 80% of Twitter’s workforce and a renaming of the platform. The decision to charge users for posting is an effort to reshape the platform and enhance user experience while combatting the bot problem.
The report about X’s plans to charge users $1 per year was initially disclosed by Fortune.
