Paying X (formerly Twitter) to send a tweet sounds ridiculous but for now, it's currently being tested as a new program for new unverified accounts in New Zealand and the Philippines. Called "Not a Bot", new users are required to sign up for a $1 (~RM4.75) annual subscription just to post and interact with others.
Since it's for new users, that means existing X users aren't affected by this. So why is X testing out this Not a Bot program? Well, X said in its tweet that it has to increase its "efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform and bot activity". X also assured that "it is not a profit driver", as this initiative is meant to balance the platform accessibility with this small fee.
Starting today, we're testing a new program (Not A Bot) in New Zealand and the Philippines. New, unverified accounts will be required to sign up for a $1 annual subscription to be able to post & interact with other posts. Within this test, existing users are not affected.
— Support (@Support) October 17, 2023
This…
Furthermore, X claimed that with this new test, subscription options seem to be working well as a solution to combat spam and scams. Registration also requires a phone number and for those who don't register for the new program, they will only be in "read-only" mode. This includes reading posts, watching videos and following accounts.
Since this "Not a Bot" program just started rolling out, it will take some time for X to monitor and share the results in the future. It sounds counter-intuitive but what do you think? Let us know and stay tuned for more news.
COMMENTS