After much speculation, social media platform X has officially confirmed its plan to introduce user fees for new users starting on October 17th. The new service package, called “Not a Bot,” is currently undergoing testing in New Zealand and the Philippines. It will only apply to new users, with no impact on existing users.
According to the announcement, new users will need to verify their phone numbers and pay an annual fee of $1 if they wish to access core features such as posting, reposting, commenting, marking, and liking. Those who don’t subscribe to this service will only be able to read posts on X.
X’s development team emphasizes that the new “Not a Bot” service package aims to protect users from bots, reduce spam, and eliminate manipulation on the platform. The goal is to provide users with a better experience on X.
While X has stated that this $1 annual fee will only apply to new users, there is a strong likelihood that, in the near future, all platform users will be required to pay a fee.
Previously, during a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 18th, billionaire Elon Musk proposed the idea of introducing mandatory payments as part of efforts to combat bots and spam.
Immediately after Elon Musk made this proposal, many users expressed dissatisfaction and switched to competing platforms like Bluesky and Thread. Some even believe that this move could potentially make X less attractive to advertisers.
However, it is evident that Elon Musk has long harbored ambitions to access user credit card information and payments. This aligns with his plan to bring banking and other financial services to X.