In a major move, Elon Musk’s social media platform X has introduced a $1 annual subscription called ‘Not A Bot’ for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines. This groundbreaking initiative requires new users to pay to post content and interact, aiming to curb spam and bot activity. However, it marks a shift from the traditional free social media model.
The new policy has sparked heated debates among users about social media monetization. While X stated it is not profit-driven but focused on maintaining genuine user balance, some have argued it could offset X’s financial losses.
Since Musk’s takeover, X has faced declining daily active users, dropping from 254.5 million to 225 million. Ad revenues have also plummeted 78% year-on-year in December 2022, posing monetization challenges.
Nonetheless, X aims for profitability by 2024, retaining 90% of top advertisers recently. The $1 fee is considered affordable by some to eliminate bot concerns. Others have lauded X’s innovative attempt to distinguish real versus automated accounts.
However, it raises broader questions about the future of accessible social media and how users value their online presence. While existing users are currently unaffected, expanded subscription plans may follow.
This could pave the way for more platforms to explore paid models, marking a paradigm shift from free services. For now, the controversial move has created intense speculation around social media’s evolution in the digital era.
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