Twitter (X) has officially introduced a subscription plan called “Not a Bot,” which entails a $1 annual fee for new users in a bid to combat spam, manipulation, and bot activity on the platform.
The subscription plan is currently in the testing phase in New Zealand and the Philippines, with trials commencing on October 17, 2023.
The primary aim of this subscription plan is to reduce spam and bot activity on the platform while maintaining platform accessibility with a nominal fee. New users who opt for the “Not a Bot” subscription are required to verify their phone numbers and pay the $1 fee, which grants them access to essential features like posting tweets, retweets, saving bookmarks, and liking posts.
Users who choose not to pay the fee will have limited access and will be restricted to a “read-only” mode, allowing them to view content but not actively engage in posting or interacting with posts.
It’s essential to note that, for now, these fees are not being imposed on existing users, and Twitter (X) emphasizes that this initiative is not driven by profit motives. However, there is speculation that these charges may eventually be extended to all users in the future. Elon Musk, during a recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hinted at the possibility of mandatory payments as a measure to combat bots and spam.
Elon Musk’s ambitions also extend to gaining access to users’ credit card and billing information, aligning with his broader goal of expanding into financial services through Twitter (X). Musk’s aspiration is to create an all-encompassing application similar to WeChat in China, making it a one-stop platform for various services.
It’s worth noting that he expressed frustration with Apple’s policy of not disclosing credit card details for users who sign up through their iPhones.
The introduction of the “Not a Bot” subscription plan represents a significant shift in Twitter’s approach to combatting spam and enhancing user experience, and it will be interesting to see how this initiative evolves in the future.
