Elon Musk, who took over the social media network X, formerly known as Twitter, last year, has proposed a new subscription model that involves charging new users $1 for access to basic capabilities such as message posting.
The measure, which will first be implemented in New Zealand and the Philippines, is part of X’s goal to strengthen its platform’s defenses against spam, manipulation, and bot activity, according to AFP.
X issued a statement outlining this new approach, emphasizing its commitment to combating spam and manipulation.
What will it cost?
Under this trial subscription approach, new online users in the Philippines and New Zealand must pay between $0.75 and $0.85 per year in exchange for basic capabilities such as the ability to upload material on the platform.
Users who do not pay this small fee will be restricted to a “read-only” version of the platform. They can still read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts, but they can’t actively contribute by uploading their stuff.
“This will evaluate a potentially powerful measure to help us combat bots and spammers on X while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee amount,” the statement read.
What does this mean for current users?
Notably, existing customers in the Philippines and New Zealand will be unaffected by the introduction of these fees. The subscription model primarily targets new users, to create a more controlled environment as they onboard the platform.
Elon Musk has made several controversial changes to the platform’s administration and product offerings after his $44 billion acquisition of X last year. Notably, Elon Musk proposed charging a small fee to all users to curb the growth of phony accounts.