Twitter Tests Subscription Program to Combat Spam and Manipulation

Twitter, now known as X, is testing a new program called “Not a Bot” to combat spam, manipulation, and bot activity on its platform. This move comes after Elon Musk’s suggestion that X start charging all users to reduce spam and scam activity. Starting with a test in New Zealand and the Philippines, new users will be required to sign up for a $1 annual subscription in order to post and interact with other users’ posts.

The test will only apply to new web accounts, and the subscription fee will be waived if users opt for X’s premium subscription service, priced at $3.99 per month. However, users in the testing region who choose not to subscribe to premium or the annual subscription will only be able to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts without being able to interact on the platform. Existing users will not be affected by this test.

X emphasizes that the program aims to reduce spam, manipulation, and bot activity on the platform while maintaining platform accessibility. The small subscription fee is not intended to be a profit driver for the company. Elon Musk believes that requiring credit card payments can help verify a user’s identity and create a higher barrier to entry for inauthentic accounts. As an incentive, premium users receive a blue checkmark, have their posts boosted by the platform’s algorithm, and are eligible to receive payments through X’s new ad revenue share program.

However, experts have pointed out that bad actors may be willing to pay for inauthentic accounts. Some argue that paying to verify an account and then allowing a computer to control it can effectively create an automated or “bot” verified account.

This test by X comes at a time when the platform has faced criticism over false and misleading claims related to the Israel-Hamas war. The European Commission has launched an investigation into X after warning about disinformation and illegal content on its platform in relation to the conflict. X has already taken action by removing hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts, taking down thousands of posts, and increasing the use of its Community Notes program that allows users to fact-check others’ posts.

Overall, X’s subscription program test aims to strike a balance between reducing spam and manipulation on the platform while ensuring accessibility. It remains to be seen how effective this approach will be in combatting the challenges posed by bot activity and inauthentic accounts.