Microblogging giant, Twitter, which now goes by the name “X,” has announced a new initiative aimed at combating spam and scam bots while increasing revenue. The social media platform is set to test a $1 subscription scheme in two countries as part of its strategy to fortify the integrity of its platform.
Not A Bot: The New Subscription Scheme
In a move to strengthen its ongoing efforts to curb spam, manipulation, and bot activities on the platform, X introduced a new subscription scheme aptly named “Not A Bot.” The goal of this initiative is to safeguard the user experience and maintain the credibility of the platform.
X’s testing ground for the “Not A Bot” subscription scheme is New Zealand and the Philippines, where new users will be required to pay a $1 charge to open a new account. Existing users are unaffected by this change. This trial seeks to determine whether introducing a modest fee can effectively reduce the proliferation of spam and bot-generated accounts on the platform.
As part of the subscription program, new users in these two countries will be mandated to verify their phone numbers. Those who pay the $1 subscription fee will enjoy full platform privileges, including the ability to post content, like posts, reply, retweet, quote other users’ posts, and bookmark content. Users who opt not to pay will have read-only access to the platform.
The crypto community, which relies heavily on X for networking and information, had mixed reactions to this announcement. Some noted that many bot accounts have already paid for verification, rendering the $1 fee ineffective. Others argued that in the crypto industry, this fee may not deter scam accounts that profit significantly from their activities.
Challenges and Elon Musk’s Vision
This initiative comes in response to the growing issue of spam and scam bots, which has been exacerbated by the implementation of the X premium paid blue badge verification product introduced by owner Elon Musk in November. Musk has even hinted at the possibility of implementing ID verification or a Know Your Customer (KYC) system to further address these challenges.
As X (formerly Twitter) takes proactive measures to tackle spam and scam bots, the “Not A Bot” subscription scheme aims to strike a balance between preserving user experience and generating revenue. The effectiveness of this trial in curbing fraudulent activities on the platform will be closely monitored, and its implications for the broader social media landscape will be of great interest to users and stakeholders alike.