New Zealand: The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has started imposing fees on its new users in New Zealand and the Philippines to use the platform’s basic features. The platform further aims to expand the annual fee to all new users globally.
In the latest trial, new users in the Philippines and New Zealand will have to pay about $0.75 and $0.85, respectively, each year, to be able to post and engage on X.
According to reports, those who decline to pay will only be able to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts.
“This will evaluate a potentially powerful measure to help us combat bots and spammers on X while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee amount,” the company said in a statement. Existing users in the Philippines and New Zealand are not affected.
The annual subscription comes at a time when the platform is widely criticised for the controversial changes made since billionaire Mr. Elon Musk bought Twitter last year for $44 billion. Thousands of employees have been fired, content moderation has been cut, and the blue tick, once used to identify verified accounts, has been given to anyone willing to pay $8 a year.
X said the new fee would “bolster” existing efforts to reduce spam and “manipulation of our platform and bot activity.”
Mr. Musk proposed the idea of an annual subscription in September, noting that it would help in dealing with bots that artificially amplify political messages or racial hatred.
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