Elon Musk to start charging unverified X users

Elon Musk’s social networking platform, X, has introduced a new policy requiring new and unverified users to pay an annual subscription fee of $1 during the signup process. Without this subscription, they will not have the ability to create posts or engage with other users’ content.

The company has initiated this program as a test in New Zealand and the Philippines, with plans for a global rollout in the near future. It’s important to note that this change will not impact unverified existing users on the platform.

X has specified that new users who choose not to subscribe during the signup phase will be limited to “read-only” actions, such as viewing posts, watching videos, and following accounts.

The primary aim of this trial is to enhance the platform’s existing efforts to combat spam, manipulation, and bot activity while also ensuring that the platform remains accessible with a nominal fee. The company has clarified that this initiative is not driven by profit motives. To date, subscription options have proven to be the most effective solution on a large scale.

This measure represents a potentially potent strategy for countering bots and spammers on X while maintaining accessibility by means of the modest subscription fee. It’s worth reiterating that this test will not impact current unverified users of the platform.