The proposed fee would apply to new users of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, now called X. Existing users wouldn't be affected (at least initially).
Elon Musk, the owner of X, believes a small fee for new users would help curb the problem of bot accounts.
"Current AI (and troll farms) can pass 'are you a bot?' tests with ease," according to Musk. This suggests the fee aims to make it more expensive and inconvenient to create large numbers of bot accounts.
Details are unclear, but Musk mentioned a "small fee" for new user write access. This could be a one-time fee or a subscription model.
The effectiveness of this approach in reducing bots is debatable. Some argue it might create a barrier for legitimate new users, while others believe it could deter bot creators focused on large-scale operations.
Critics might suggest exploring more sophisticated anti-bot measures like advanced CAPTCHAs or machine learning algorithms to identify and remove bots.
Charging new users could be met with resistance from some who view it as a barrier to free speech or an attempt to monetize the platform further.
The potential revenue generated from the fee needs to be weighed against the potential loss of new users who might be discouraged by the cost.
It's unclear how the fee might impact user growth and overall activity on the platform. Will it create a more exclusive or niche community?
This could be the start of a broader shift towards a paid subscription model for X, offering additional features or benefits to paying users.