If you want to join X, the service formerly known as Twitter, through its website in New Zealand and the Philippines, expect to pay $1 per year.
The subscription, which is part of the “Not A Bot” program, will begin in those two countries and is intended to “bolster our already significant efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform, and bot activity,” according to an unsigned post on X’s help centre on Tuesday. Furthermore, new web users in New Zealand and the Philippines must verify their account with a phone number, according to the post. Soon after X’s announcement, Fortune reported that Musk planned to charge new users $1 per year.
X’s post needs to explain why the new $1 subscription is only available to new web users, not mobile app users, or why Not a Bot is only available in two countries. X likely has seen more bot activity from these regions than others, and it’s much easier to create a slew of fake accounts through the website. According to the company, “new members who opt out of subscribing will only be able to take ‘read-only’ actions,” such as browsing posts and watching videos.
Technology News UK has learned that his new program is in addition to X’s regular monthly subscription of $8. Musk has been clear from the start of his Twitter takeover that he believes charging will stymie bot armies despite the fact that only a very small percentage of users pay. Meanwhile, he has been boasting about how much time he has spent on X.