X will initiate a USD1 (~RM4.74) annual charge for new users, granting them access to essential functionalities such as tweeting, replying, and quoting.
This fee will take effect starting today for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines, representing one of the most substantial changes to the social media platform since its acquisition by Elon Musk nearly a year ago.
In a statement released by X’s support account, the company described this move as a measure to reduce the prevalence of bots and spam on the platform, rather than a profit-driven endeavour.
It’s essential to note that the USD1 annual fee applies exclusively to new users and does not impact existing users.
There is currently no clarity regarding the potential expansion of this payment model to users in other countries, according to Fortune.
This program is also different from X Premium, which provides additional features like an “Undo” and “Edit” option for posts that starts at RM35 per month.
According to X’s Help Center, new users who opt out of subscribing will only be able to take “read only” actions, such as: Read posts, Watch videos, and Follow accounts.
Despite the relatively small fee, the introduction of the USD1 charge for basic features signifies a significant departure for the social media service, which has offered free access since its inception as Twitter in 2006.
Following the announcement, Musk tweeted, “read for free, but USD1/year to write.” “It’s the only way to fight bots without blocking real users,” Musk wrote. “This won’t stop bots completely, but it will be 1000X harder to manipulate the platform.”
