After weeks of hypothesis, X has confirmed its plans to cost new customers for the service beforehand referred to as Twitter. The corporate shared particulars a few new subscription known as “Not a Bot,” that it’s presently testing in New Zealand and the Philippines.
The subscription, which was first reported by Fortune, requires new customers to pay the equal of $1 USD per 12 months so as to have the ability to submit. “As of October seventeenth, 2023 we’ve began testing ‘Not A Bot,’ a brand new subscription technique for brand spanking new customers in two international locations,” X explains. “This new take a look at was developed to bolster our already important efforts to scale back spam, manipulation of our platform and bot exercise. This may consider a probably highly effective measure to assist us fight bots and spammers on X, whereas balancing platform accessibility with the small price quantity.”
Beneath the scheme, new customers will probably be required to confirm their telephone numbers and pay the $1 price in the event that they wish to use core options like tweets, retweets, bookmarks and likes. Those that who don’t pay will solely be capable of use X in a “learn solely” mode.
The corporate mentioned that for now the charges is not going to apply to current customers. “It isn’t a revenue driver,” X mentioned.
Beginning right this moment, we’re testing a brand new program (Not A Bot) in New Zealand and the Philippines. New, unverified accounts will probably be required to enroll in a $1 annual subscription to have the ability to submit & work together with different posts. Inside this take a look at, current customers should not affected.
This…
— Assist (@Assist) October 17, 2023
Nonetheless, the preliminary take a look at will doubtless gasoline hypothesis that X does plan to someday cost all customers. Throughout a livestreamed dialog with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu final month, Elon Musk suggested he was contemplating some sort of necessary fee as a part of an effort to fight bots and spam.
“Subscription choices have confirmed to be the principle resolution that works at scale,” X mentioned in a submit from its assist account. Musk’s earlier feedback proved unpopular and on X rival Bluesky noticed a surge in exercise following the remarks.
Others have additionally reported that Musk has lengthy had ambitions to achieve entry to customers’ bank card and billing info, which might additional his plan to carry banking and different to X. In keeping with his biographer, Walter Isaacson, Musk’s push to sign-up subscribers was very along with his quest to construct an “all the pieces app,” and Musk grew offended when he realized Apple doesn’t share bank card particulars of those that enroll with their iPhones.
X didn’t reply to a request for remark.
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