What to Know:
– X (formerly Twitter) is testing a $1/year charge for new users in two countries.
– The test is being conducted in Canada and Australia.
– The charge is aimed at reducing spam and fake accounts.
– The company has not announced any plans to roll out the charge globally.
The Full Story:
X, formerly known as Twitter, is testing a $1/year charge for new users in an effort to reduce spam and fake accounts. The test is currently being conducted in Canada and Australia, and the company has not announced any plans to roll out the charge globally.
The $1 charge is a way for X to verify the identity of new users and ensure that they are not creating multiple accounts for malicious purposes. By requiring users to pay a small fee, X hopes to deter spammers and fake account creators who may be less willing to spend money on their activities.
The decision to test the $1 charge comes as X has been facing increasing scrutiny over the presence of fake accounts and the spread of misinformation on its platform. The company has been taking steps to address these issues, including implementing stricter rules for developers and investing in technology to detect and remove fake accounts.
While the $1 charge may seem like a small amount, it could have a significant impact on reducing spam and fake accounts. According to a study conducted by the University of Southern California and Indiana University, fake accounts make up around 15% of active Twitter users. By requiring users to pay a fee, X can potentially deter a large number of these fake accounts from being created.
However, there are concerns that the $1 charge could also deter legitimate users from signing up for the platform. Some users may be unwilling to pay a fee, especially if they are unsure about the value they will get from using X. This could potentially lead to a decline in user growth for the platform.
It is worth noting that X is not the first social media platform to experiment with charging users. Facebook, for example, has also tested various paid features and subscriptions in the past. However, these experiments have not been widely adopted, and the majority of social media platforms continue to rely on advertising revenue as their primary source of income.
The $1 charge is just one of the measures that X is taking to address the issue of spam and fake accounts. The company has also been investing in machine learning technology to detect and remove fake accounts, as well as implementing stricter rules for developers to prevent the creation of spammy apps.
Overall, the $1 charge for new users is a test being conducted by X to reduce spam and fake accounts on its platform. While it may have a positive impact on reducing these issues, there are concerns that it could also deter legitimate users from signing up. It remains to be seen whether X will roll out the charge globally or if it will explore other solutions to address the problem of spam and fake accounts.
Original article: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/x-formerly-twitter-not-a-bot-program/498686/