X Introduces Annual Fee for New Users, Changes to Basic Features Access

X Introduces Annual Fee for New Users, Elon Musk’s company X, which was once known as Twitter, has revealed that it will be testing a new membership model called “Not A Bot,” which will cost $1 a year.

In a blog post, X states that by using a premium membership model, they will be better protected against spammers and bots “who attempt to manipulate the platform and disrupt the experience of other X users.”

In this approach, simple functionality like liking, reposting, and quoting posts from other accounts will cost you money. In order to favourite posts on the platform’s web version, membership will also be necessary.

You don’t have to worry about the company’s new testing if you’re a current user. However, if they haven’t subscribed, new users will only be allowed to view and read articles, watch videos, and follow accounts.

According to X, consumers in the Philippines and New Zealand will be the first to utilise the new model; the cost will vary depending on exchange rates in each country. those in the Philippines will pay PHP 42.51 annually, but those in New Zealand will pay NZD 1.43.

X Introduces Annual Fee for New Users, Users Being Charged for X ?

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A Fortune story (via 9to5Mac) claims that users will have to pay $1 a year to access the microblogging platform’s basic capabilities. New posts, likes, reposts, quotes, bookmarks, notifications, and even user interactions are said to be included in this. X is an ad-supported platform, but Elon Musk recently disclosed that the protracted dispute has resulted in considerable income losses for the platform.

When a user posted about X payments having less usefulness, Musk revealed that revenue “drops significantly during warfare.”

There is a new ‘Not A Bot’ programme being tested in the Philippines and New Zealand, according to the official X support page. In order to participate in this programme, new and unverified accounts must pay a $1 annual charge in order to “post and engage with other posts.” This modification will not impact current users.

This move to a membership-based business model might be a sign that Musk’s policies are having a negative impact on income. Additionally, a lot of advertisers have been back on X. In the last 12 weeks, 1,500 advertisers have returned, and 90% of the top 100 advertisers are back on the platform. The research asserts, nevertheless, that this function doesn’t bring in money.

The article said, “This new test builds on our successful efforts to balance platform access with a small fee and reduce spam, bot activity, and manipulation on our platform.” It’s not an enterprise aimed at producing money.”

In an earlier livestream from last month, Musk asserted that charging users for X was the “only way” to rid the platform of bots. But removing these features might mean that X is becoming into a paywall in the true sense, requiring users to subscribe in order to do anything other than browse content.

X Premium Tiers :

Three tiers will comprise the X Premium membership, according to a recent assertion made by X user Aaron, also known as @aaronp613 on the platform. While the ‘Premium Standard’ tier will have fewer advertisements, the ‘Premium Basic’ tier will include full features with commercials. Premium Plus, the highest tier subscription, will offer all services ad-free. For these subscription tiers, the cost and anticipated launch schedule have not yet been revealed.

Can Elon Musk be Trusted with X users’ Financial Information?

Musk has long been considering imposing a $1 fee on subscribers. As Musk put it last month in a livestream discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “This is the only way to confront the vast armies of bots.”

According to Musk, getting credit card information would also help X become a “everything app,” which will enable users to make purchases through the app in addition to other features. Some consumers have expressed reluctance to provide their credit card information for the $1 plan, meanwhile, considering the company’s turbulent history under Musk’s leadership.

Following the CEOs of Tesla and SpaceX’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter in November 2022, the firm has experienced a number of erratic changes, such as 75% of staff layoffs and insufficient content control efforts. Musk has justified this action by citing the right to free speech, yet a number of well-known companies have stopped running advertisements on X because of worries over offensive content.

With the intention of luring back big brand advertisers to the platform, Musk appointed Linda Yaccarino, the head of NBC Universal’s advertising division, as CEO of X in May. Yaccarino disclosed that 90% of the top 100 advertisers had come back in the previous 12 weeks during a live interview conducted on stage at the Vox Code Conference last month.

Some, however, doubt Yaccarino’s capacity to revive the advertising industry in light of Musk’s unpredictable and possibly difficult decision-making tendencies. Yaccarino questioned Musk on how his prior presentation on a subscription model may affect advertising revenue at the Code Conference, asking, “Did he say that or did he say he’s thinking about it?”