It’s now looking more and more likely that X (formerly Twitter) will soon make new users who want to post messages on the social network pay a fee for that privilege worldwide.
You may remember that back in October 2023, X began testing such a fee in the Philippines, where it charged 42.51 PHP (0.75 USD) per year to let users post messages and add other features. It also added a similar fee in New Zealand, where those residents pay $1.43 NZD (0.84 USD) per year to X.
Today, in response to a question about changes to X’s website that mention fees for new users to post, X owner Elon Musk wrote that such a cost “is the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots” on the service.
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Musk also stated that AI and troll farms can pass the current bot detection methods “with ease” In a follow-up post, he pointed out that these bots can also claim names on the service that should go to others, adding that ” . . . so many good handles are taken as a result.”
In yet another post, Musk stated that those new X users would be able to post messages, and presumably do more on the service “for free after 3 months” This would seem to suggest that new users would be able to set up an account for free, view messages, but not post until three months afterward without paying.
