Get Ready to Pay! Elon Musk-led X Users Likely to Pay Annual Fee to Like, Post and Even Reply
The new users on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) may now be required to pay a small annual fee to be able to like, post, bookmark, and reply. After an upgrade on Monday, the website said new accounts are required to pay a small annual fee before they are able to post, like, bookmark, and reply in a bid to restrict the onrush of bots and fake accounts. Internet users have responded to the development in differing ways. While some have acknowledged the move to limit misuse of the internet and AI, others have ignored the act as an infringement of their right to free speech.
What Stays Free?
Users can still follow accounts and browse X for free, the company said. “This is to reduce spam and to create a better experience for everyone,” it said. The new users, however, will be able to use all usual features for free after three months, Elon Musk, the owner of American technology company X Corp, which owns X, said. However, whether the new norms will be rolled out in select locations or worldwide is not clear, reported PTI.
“Unfortunately, a small fee for new user write access is the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots. Current AI (and troll farms) can pass ‘are you a bot’ with ease,” Musk posted on X.
New unverified users now receive a dialogue box stating “unlock the ability to post and engage by paying a small fee”. Premium subscribers get unlimited access to all write actions and other premium features. “The onslaught of fake accounts also uses up the available namespace, so many good handles are taken as a result,” Musk further said.
At first, the social media behemoth only offered the policy in New Zealand, where it was evaluated to assist minimize spam and enhance user experience. There was an annual fee of USD 1.
