Microblogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter said it has started charging new and unverified users in New Zealand and the Philippines for basic features.
The CEO of X, Tesla and SpaceX earlier suggested that all X users may have to pay for access.
Elon Musk stated that new users would sign up with $1 as an annual subscription fee in a trial aimed at reducing spam.
He however, noted that this, is not going to affect unverified existing accounts on the platform.
The company added that new users who opt out of subscribing at the signup stage will only be able to take “read-only” actions, such as reading posts, watching videos, and following accounts.
Despite Elon Musk’s move to turn its $44 billion acquisition into a profit-making firm, X said the new program was not motivated by profit but to reduce fake accounts.
The company on it website said, “This new program aims to defend against bots and spammers who attempt to manipulate the platform and disrupt the experience of other X users.
“It is not a profit driver,” it said in a separate post on X. “So far, subscription options have proven to be the main solution that works at scale.”
It added that existing users will not be affected by the model, which will cost around $0.75 per year for new users in the Philippines and $0.85 for those in New Zealand.
Those who decline to pay will be able to access X in read-only mode, limited to viewing content and following accounts, the company said.
“Anything that a platform does to protect their users from the harm they might experience is a step in the right direction,” said NetSafe, an independent online safety charity in New Zealand.
“Whether trying to stop bots from contacting people indirectly, that might engage in harmful conversations, or taking steps to verify who its users are… those things are potentially useful in trying to reduce harm.”
However, Jonathan de Santos, chairman of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, said this would limit users on the platform.
“We get that the program is meant to curb the use of bots, but this also seems like putting the burden of fighting misinformation and disinformation on users,” he stated.
