X Tests $1 Fee for New Accounts to Combat Spam, But Users Question Effectiveness

X is testing a new $1 annual fee for new, unverified accounts in New Zealand and the Philippines to combat spam and bots. Existing users are not affected.

The fee is not meant as a profit driver, according to X, but to balance accessibility and prevent manipulation.

New accounts must first verify their phone number. Paying the fee lets them post, like, reply, etc. Opting out limits them to read-only actions.

There is skepticism online about whether the fee will actually stop bots and spam on the platform.

Elon Musk has made controversial changes since his $44B Twitter takeover, including renaming it X, altering verification, and making layoffs. X faces lawsuits over severance.