“Elon Musk X Platform to Charge New Users $1 Per Year for Key Features, Starting in New Zealand and the Philippines”
X, formerly known as Twitter, will introduce a $1 annual fee for new users, encompassing essential features such as tweeting, replying, and quoting. The move, confirmed by the company, is aimed at combating bots and spam rather than generating profit. Existing users will not be affected by this fee. It remains uncertain if and when this payment model will extend to other countries. Notably, this program is distinct from X Premium, which offers additional features for $8 per month.
$1 Annual Fee Elon Musk, X’s owner,
believes this nominal fee is a crucial step in the fight against bots while maintaining accessibility. Musk tweeted that users can “read for free, but $1/year to write,” acknowledging that this measure won’t eliminate bots entirely but will significantly impede their manipulation of the platform.
X has also outlined its “Not-a-Bot Terms and Conditions” for its paid subscription service, which grants users specific platform capabilities.
However, Musk’s vision of turning X into an all-encompassing app that allows direct purchases has raised concerns about users sharing their financial information. The platform’s tumultuous history under Musk, including layoffs and content moderation changes, has left some users skeptical about this move.
Since Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in November 2022, the platform has undergone numerous changes. While Musk argues these changes are in pursuit of free speech, they have led to concerns and caused some major brands to halt advertising on X. Under Musk’s leadership, the company appointed Linda Yaccorino as CEO, aiming to regain the trust of large brand advertisers, with some early signs of success in terms of ad return and financial performance.