In a significant change to the newly rebranded social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk has confirmed that new users will be required to pay a “small fee” in order to post, like, bookmark, and reply to content on the site.
According to Musk’s announcement, new X users will incur charges for posting any content on the platform. The exact fee amount has not been disclosed, but is being described as “small”.
Musk’s stated rationale for instituting the new user fee is an attempt to block bot spam on X . By requiring new accounts to pay to post and engage, he likely hopes to discourage the creation of spam and bot accounts.
However, the fee will apparently only apply to new users who sign up for X going forward. Musk clarified that after an initial 3 month period, posting and engaging on X will be free . So the fee seems intended as a short-term spam deterrent and onboarding friction for newly created accounts.
The announcement has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the attempt to combat spam and others criticizing putting up a paywall that could discourage new users from joining the platform.
It remains to be seen how this new monetization strategy will impact growth and engagement on X, especially as it works to differentiate itself from Twitter and attract new users. But it’s a bold move by Musk as he continues to overhaul the social media giant according to his vision.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story. And let me know your thoughts on X’s new user fee in the comments below!
