X, previously identified as Twitter, recently launched a bold and innovative approach in an attempt to curb the rampant issues of bot accounts and manipulative spam activity on its platform. As of the 17th of October, X declared a new subscription model targeting new users in New Zealand and the Philippines. These users would be required to pay a US$1 annual fee to access the core functionalities of the platform.
This surprising move was initially unveiled by Fortune before X gave an official statement clarifying its objectives. The official release by the company states, “This 'Not A Bot' initiative is a strategy to intensify our ongoing endeavors to counter spam, malicious manipulation, and bot-driven activities on our platform.”
To shed light on the specifics: New users from the two mentioned countries, before diving into the vast ocean of X's network, will first be obligated to confirm their phone numbers. Following this, the US$1 fee will grant them the privilege to post, engage with content, and utilize other main features of X.
Contrastingly, those choosing not to subscribe will be relegated to passive roles, only having permissions to view content and follow other users.
At the current conversion rates, this amount translates to roughly NZ$1.43 for New Zealanders and approximately 42.51 Philippine pesos for Filipinos.
In their statement, X emphasized, “This pilot project is our latest measure against potential disruptors who use bots and spam to jeopardize the genuine interactions on X. We are eagerly awaiting insights from this initiative.”
But what does this mean for the average new user from these countries? The service agreement clearly labels this as a “beta program,” and subscribers will be enrolling in an automatic renewal system.
Elon Musk, the visionary behind this move, had alluded to such a change last month during a conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. However, the specifics at that time pointed towards a broader application, potentially involving all users of the platform.
Musk's rationale is straightforward. With bot accounts costing almost negligible amounts to establish, even a marginal increase in the account creation cost could deter bot makers. He added, “Moreover, with every new bot, they'd need a distinct payment method.”
However, not all of Musk's endeavors have been flawless. Since the inception of the 'X premium blue tick' offering, priced at $11 monthly for US iPhone users, the service hasn't effectively stopped scammers exploiting the platform. Scammers continue to leverage premium accounts to their advantage.
This fresh approach to revenue generation hints at Musk's broader vision for X. With a reported drop in advertising revenue by 60% due to advertiser boycotts and controversies surrounding content management, Musk is steering X towards a holistic model, integrating it as an “all-in-one” application, potentially featuring integrated payment gateways.
It remains to be seen how these developments will shape the future of X, both in terms of user experience and the platform's battle against malicious entities. As of now, the world watches with bated breath, curious about the next chapter in X's journey under Musk's leadership.
