Elon Musk's X is asking you to pay a dollar to prove you're not a bot

Elon Musk's social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter, has yet another significant announcement. They are contemplating charging $1 (Rs 83) annually for access to their basic features.

What

• It entails a fee for liking, reposting, quoting other people's posts, or bookmarking content on the web version of X.
• This concept differs from their premium offering, X Pro, which comes at a higher price point.
• The aim of "Not A Bot" is to have all users who wish to engage in these fundamental activities on the social network pay $1 each year.

Why are they doing this? 

• Elon Musk believes it's a strategy to combat the issue of spam and automated bot accounts on the platform. They are presently piloting this new feature in New Zealand and the Philippines.

• Existing platform users will not be affected by this new policy. However, new users who opt not to pay will be restricted to reading posts, watching videos, and following accounts, without the ability to create their own posts.

Managing bots has been a primary concern for Elon Musk since acquiring the company last year. In July, X imposed restrictions on the number of tweets users could view to ensure the authenticity of users.

X's pursuit of new revenue streams

• Earlier this year, X introduced a premium subscription plan named X Pro.
• The pricing varies depending on the sign-up method. For instance, it costs Rs 650 on the website in India, but Rs 900 if you use the Android and iOS apps.
• They have not disclosed whether "Not A Bot" will be priced differently on app stores.

• X is exploring innovative avenues to generate revenue. This initiative was initiated following Elon Musk's takeover of the company last year.
• X was burdened with a substantial debt of $13 billion, and certain advertisers withdrew due to safety regulations, resulting in significant annual interest payments.

Musk's acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X, brought about significant transformations.

Existing X Pro subscribers will not be required to pay the additional $1 annually.