Not A Bot: Fees for Not Using Twitter to Identify Potential Threats on the Site and Other Social Networks in the Philippines and New Zealand
X, formerly known as Twitter, will start charging users in the Philippines and New Zealand a $1 fee to use the service, a move owner Elon Musk says is aimed at curbing the presence of bots on the site.
X has a new program that adds to the subscription of $8 a month. Musk has been clear from the beginning of his Twitter takeover that he thinks charging will impede bot armies, though it’s estimated that a very, very small percentage of users are paying. He has bragged that time spent on X has never been higher.
The terms and conditions of Not A Bot show that people will also be able to subscribe from X’s apps on their phones, even though the main post onX’s help center only specifies web.
X’s handling of disinformation and illegal content on the site since the war started has led to an investigation by the European Commission. Under a European Union law known as the Digital Services Act, social platforms must quickly remove illegal content such as hate speech, incitements of violence, and harmful disinformation. Failing to do could trigger fees equivalent to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue.
A number of users are taking advantage of misleading posts in order to make money on their social media pages, as a result of being able to make money off of a post that goes viral.
Comment on “Musk’s X to charge users in Philippines and New Zealand $1 to use platform” [Npr.org/1923/10/18/1206711620]
The Israel-Gaza war has tested X in new ways. Since the violence erupted, a flood of bogus claims, unsubstantiated rumors and other falsehoods have inundated the platform.
Still, new X CEO Linda Yaccarino, a former ad executive, said recently that the company could be profitable by early next year, as she works to bring back skittish advertisers who left the platform since Musk assumed the reins.
The global traffic to the site is down by more than a percentage point compared to this time last year. In the U.S., which makes up about a quarter of its web traffic, the platform experienced a nearly 20% decline in traffic compared to year-ago figures.
The company has been struggling with finances due to changes made by the billionaire that have created new levels of chaos and chaos on the site.
Since Musk’s takeover, he has made drastic changes, including reducing staff by 75% and making “verified” blue check marks available for $8 a month.
Since buying the platform last year, Musk has been focused on cracking down on fake accounts that are akin to real people. Despite his best efforts, bot are still a persistent problem.
Source: Musk’s X to charge users in Philippines and New Zealand $1 to use platform
Not a Bot: A Social Media Platform for Non-Profiting Users in the X-ray Universe, Launched in the Philippines
It is not clear why the company decided to start an annual fee in the Philippines. It is not known whether the initiative will reach other users around the world. Fortune first reported about the $1 a year fee plan.
If the yearly fees are applied more widely, it would mark a departure from the free model of social media that the service was founded on.
The idea is that by charging “a few dollars or something” it could deter the creation of new fake accounts since bots just cost “a fraction of a penny” to create, Musk told Netanyahu.
Musk hinted at a paywall in the works for users of X in a September interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming that it may be the only way “to combat vast armies of bots.”
The company announced the program, called Not a Bot, late Tuesday, saying the annual fee will apply to new users who want to post, like, reply and quote other content on the platform. It will be possible to read posts on the site without a charge.
