X (formerly Twitter) will begin charging some new users $1/year (£0.82/year) to access basic features such as writing, liking, retweeting, and replying to posts.
All new unverified users in New Zealand and the Philippines will be required to sign up for the paid subscription service, and will need to verify their account with a phone number.
Existing members in the region will not be affected and X says users will still be able to create a free ‘read-only’ account.
In a post yesterday, X’s support account confirmed that the site would be testing a new programme called ‘Not A Bot’, aimed at reducing the number of automated spam bots on the platform.
X insists that this change is ‘not a profit driver’ adding: ‘So far, subscription options have proven to be the main solution that works at scale.’
X’s support account announced that new users in New Zealand and the Philippines will be required to pay a $1/year annual subscription to access basic features of the app
At the same time, X published the ‘Not-A-Bot’ terms and conditions that lay out the details of the new service.
This explains: ‘The Program is a recurring subscription service from X that provides your account with write-level functionality on the X platform, such as the ability to post content, like posts, reply, repost, quote, and bookmark other accounts’ posts’.
Users of the platform are not impressed by Musk’s new plan and many say that the price of $1/year is too high.
‘Nope. Not worth a dollar to watch this dumpster fire’, wrote one disgruntled X user.
Another added: ‘This will drive down interactions and the user base as a whole, most people will simply not pay but will still view ads’.
Other X users complained that Musk’s attempts to fight back against bots have been unsuccessful and were wary of any attempt to use a paywall to verify human users.
Musk has previously said that making X a paid service would be the only way to reduce the number of bots that currently plague the platform
Several users took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustrations at the new subscription plan
‘Funny how every solution for Twitter he ever comes up with is to implement a pay wall’, wrote one commenter.
‘Remember when Elon was like “we’re gonna get rid of spam bots”‘, another said, adding: ‘lmao it’s a billion times worse than it ever was pre-elon’.
While the trial currently only affects some new users, since purchasing Twitter Elon Musk has said he would like to make the site a completely paid service in the future.
In an interview with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk suggested that all Twitter members should pay a small fee.
Musk said: ‘I’d say the single most important reason we’re moving towards having a small monthly payment for use of the X system is that it’s the only way I can think of to combat vast armies of bots.’
Following Musk’s $44 billion (£36.13 billion) takeover, he introduced the paid-for premium feature ‘Twitter Blue’ which charges members $8 (£9.60) per month, or $11 (£11) if they sign up via iOS or Android, to access extra features.
At the time Musk said: ‘This should help a lot with spam bots’, however many users pointed out that bots were often verified.
Twitter Blue subscribers also have the option to make longer posts, the ability to ‘undo’ or edit posts, and receive increased visibility on the platform.
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk