NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — X, formerly known as Twitter, is gearing up to implement a significant change in its revenue model by introducing a subscription service that will charge some new users an annual fee of $1 (£0.82).
This service, named ‘Not A Bot,’ is part of X’s ongoing efforts to tackle the pervasive issue of automated spam bots that have plagued the platform for years.
While this decision to charge users for basic features like posting tweets, liking posts, retweeting, and replying to posts is aimed at reducing spam, it has sparked a fair amount of controversy among the X user community.
The trial phase of the new subscription service will be rolled out to new, unverified users in New Zealand and the Philippines.
These users will be required to sign up for the paid subscription service and verify their accounts using a phone number.
Existing members in these regions will not be affected and can continue to use the platform with their free accounts, albeit in a ‘read-only’ mode.
X’s decision to introduce a paid subscription service has stirred up mixed reactions among its user base. While some acknowledge the platform’s struggle with bots and appreciate the effort to tackle spam, many believe that the $1 per year fee is unjustifiably high for the limited features on offer.
They argue that this pricing may deter potential users from joining the platform or encourage them to seek free alternatives.
Concerns have also been raised about the possible impact on user interactions and the overall user base, as this fee could discourage some people from participating on the platform.
Critics argue that this isn’t the first time X’s owner, Elon Musk, has proposed a paywall as a solution to the platform’s problems. Before the subscription service, Musk introduced ‘Twitter Blue,’ a premium feature that costs $8 per month, or $11 if users subscribe via iOS or Android.
Twitter Blue provides members with additional features such as longer posts, the ability to edit posts, and increased visibility on the platform. While these features were introduced with the aim of combating spam bots, users quickly noticed that many of these automated accounts had already been verified.
Elon Musk, who recently acquired X, has been very vocal about his concerns regarding the prevalence of bots on the platform. He’s suggested that a small monthly fee for all X users is a viable strategy to combat these automated accounts.
In an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk stated that a subscription fee is the most effective way to address the issue of spam bots.
However, this move to a fully paid service could represent a significant shift for X and its users. X’s journey under Musk’s ownership has introduced various changes, both in terms of features and revenue models.
Whether these changes will have the desired impact on reducing spam bots and creating a more premium, less spam-filled platform remains to be seen.
The transition to a paid model is likely to face further scrutiny as it evolves. For now, it’s certainly a bold step that has generated significant debate in the social media world.
Timeline of Elon Musk’s eventful tenure at Twitter
Elon Musk’s tenure at X.com, formerly known as Twitter, has been nothing short of eventful. Here’s a timeline of key events and decisions during his time as the owner of the platform:
October 27: Musk is officially announced as the new owner of Twitter, and he marks the occasion with a tweet stating, “the bird is freed.”
November 1: Musk confirms plans to change the system of ‘Blue Tick’ verification on Twitter, offering it to users for a reduced subscription fee of $8 a month.
November 4: Musk lays off approximately half of Twitter’s workforce, citing cost-cutting as the reason, despite the controversial move. He claims to have had ‘no choice.’
November 9: Musk launches the ‘Twitter Blue’ subscription service, which includes account verification as a part of the monthly fee.
November 11: The Twitter Blue service is temporarily paused due to accounts purchasing verification and using it for impersonation of brands and public figures.
November 12: Musk unexpectedly fires 80 percent of Twitter contractors.
November 15: Musk terminates employees who posted negative comments about him on the business messaging app Slack. The lawsuit between Musk and Twitter is dismissed.
November 16: Twitter staff members are informed that they must sign a pledge to continue in their roles, requiring them to work long hours at high intensity or receive three months of severance pay, resulting in a mass exodus of employees.
November 18: A news ticker projected onto Twitter HQ in San Francisco derogatorily dubs Musk as a ‘space Karen,’ ‘mediocre manchild,’ and ‘bankruptcy baby.’
November 23: A Twitter user reports that 5.4 million phone numbers and email addresses have leaked on the dark web, leading to the suspension of the user’s account.
November 26: Financial Times reports that 50 of the platform’s top 100 advertisers have paused their ads on Twitter.
November 29: Platformer reports that Twitter is in the process of reinstating approximately 62,000 banned accounts, each with more than 10,000 followers.
December 12: Twitter Blue is re-launched with a new Blue Tick reviewing process.
January 11: Twitter starts automatically redirecting users to the ‘For You’ tab, its algorithmic feed of tweets, every time they open the app.
February 8: Twitter expands the character limit to 4,000 for Twitter Blue subscribers in the US, followed by technical difficulties on the site.
February 12: Musk instructs staff to revamp Twitter’s tweet promotion algorithm after his Super Bowl tweet doesn’t get enough impressions.
February 15: Twitter announces it will remove SMS two-factor authentication (2FA) from the free version of Twitter, drawing criticism from security experts.
February 25: Twitter reveals another round of layoffs, bringing its workforce down to under 2,000, a significant decrease from the 7,500 employees when Musk first took over.
March 28: Musk announces that Twitter Blue subscribers can vote in Twitter polls and have their tweets appear in the For You tab, effectively introducing a paywall for these features.
April 11: Musk gives an interview at Twitter’s San Francisco HQ, where he reveals he’s been sleeping on the office floor and accuses the interviewer of lying when questioned about hate speech on the platform.
June 21: Musk challenges rival tech CEO Mark Zuckerberg to a ‘cage match’ fight.
July 1: Musk announces limits on how many tweets users can see per day—600 for non-Twitter Blue users and 6,000 for Twitter Blue subscribers.
July 23: Twitter is officially rebranded as X.com, and the classic blue bird logo is replaced with an ‘X.’
August 18: Musk announces the removal of the ‘block’ feature, except within direct messaging.
August 31: Musk reveals that audio and video calls will soon be introduced on the platform.
Musk’s leadership of Twitter, now X.com, has brought about a series of significant changes, controversial decisions, and a noticeable shift in the platform’s features and policies.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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