Much to the chagrin of those on social media, Twitter (X) is now charging brand new users an annual fee just to engage with the platform. This change has already begun in select regions, with a broader rollout set to follow.
There’s no denying things have been rather turbulent at Twitter (X) since Elon Musk’s buyout in 2022. From the verification shakeup to the removal of popular features, it’s been a chaotic time to say the least.
A few weeks ago, however, rumors began circulating of one particular new change that immediately caused havoc on the internet. Musk was reportedly considering charging all Twitter users a subscription fee just to exist on the platform.
Now, that plan appears to be in motion, to a degree. Starting from October 17, Twitter is now charging brand new accounts an annual fee just to engage with the social media app, starting in New Zealand and the Philippines.
Twitter charging new accounts an annual fee
Subtly announced through the Twitter (X) Support account, plans for a ‘Not A Bot’ program were outlined. As part of this new agenda to allegedly curb the rise in bots, new accounts now need to fork over some cash.
All brand-new accounts on the platform must pay a $1 USD annual fee in order to do the basics like sharing your own posts, replying to others, and the like. New accounts must also verify their phone numbers as well.
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Should new accounts ignore this fee, their access will be limited. While they’ll still be able to look at posts, follow others, and watch videos, they won’t be able to interact whatsoever with the content on display. This is by design as Twitter (X) looks to “defend against bots and spammers.”
For the time being, this program has begun its initial rollout in just two countries, New Zealand and the Philippines. Though as with most test pilots on the platform, a broader deployment across all major regions is expected to follow in the coming months.
Starting today, we're testing a new program (Not A Bot) in New Zealand and the Philippines. New, unverified accounts will be required to sign up for a $1 annual subscription to be able to post & interact with other posts. Within this test, existing users are not affected.This…
— Support (@Support) October 17, 2023
“This new test was developed to bolster our already significant efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform, and bot activity,” a statement accompanying the news reads.
“This will evaluate a potentially powerful measure to help us combat bots and spammers on X, while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee amount. Within this test, existing users are not affected.”