X Tests 'Not A Bot' Program That Charges New Users $1/Year to Post

X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, today announced that it is testing a "Not A Bot" program that charges new, unverified users $1 per year to post and interact with content on X.

X twitter logo
Not A Bot is being tested in New Zealand and the Phillipines at the current time, and it only applies to new users. The X support account says that existing users are not affected "within this test."

Charging users $1 per year is meant to "reduce spam, manipulation of [the X] platform, and bot activity." X claims that subscription options have "proven to be the main solution that works at scale" to combat these issues.

This new program aims to defend against bots and spammers who attempt to manipulate the platform and disrupt the experience of other X users. We look forward to sharing more about the results soon.

All new accounts in New Zealand and the Philippines will be required to verify a phone number and then pay a $1 USD fee to create posts, reply, repost, quote posts, and bookmark posts. New users who do not pay the fee will only be able to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts.

There is no word yet on whether Not A Bot will be expanded to additional countries and to users who have already signed up for X but have declined to pay the monthly fee for a premium subscription.

Popular Stories

Mayday Calendar

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Friday May 9, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing, spotted by French blog MacGeneration. The acquisition had not received widespread attention from tech publications until now. Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act. Mayday Labs founder Jeremy...
Nineth iOS 19 Feature

iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

Thursday May 8, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it. Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors...
fortnite apple featured

Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

Friday May 9, 2025 9:57 am PDT by
As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020. Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
top stories 2025 05 10

Top Stories: iOS 18.5 Release Imminent, iPhone Rumors for 2025 and Beyond, and More

Saturday May 10, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates. This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Apple's Foldable iPhone Display Tech May Set New Industry Standard

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:29 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will feature a new type of display panel developed by Samsung that has never been used in a foldable product, claims a source with links to Apple's supply chain. According to the account yeux1122 on the Korean Naver blog, the foldable iPhone will use a custom display process for which Apple will hold branding trademark rights, and that meets Apple's stringent ...

Top Rated Comments

NC12 Avatar
21 months ago

Elon knows what he's doing.
No he does not
Score: 100 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rushmere Avatar
21 months ago
Alternative take: "Create as much spam and hate speech as you like for only $1 per year!".
Score: 78 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
21 months ago
I wouldn’t pay 1 penny to join them…
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
21 months ago
No way I'm giving Twitter my credit card information
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wowfunhappy Avatar
21 months ago

Didn't many people say X would be dead by now? Maybe perhaps, Elon knows what he's doing.

Can't wait for the "surely they're going to die from this new thing" comments.
I am admittedly a little surprised it's still online at all after they fired basically everyone.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
herocero Avatar
21 months ago

Didn't many people say X would be dead by now? Maybe perhaps, Elon knows what he's doing.

Can't wait for the "surely they're going to die from this new thing" comments. One more year should do it! ?
Swing and a miss. Go find out what his investors have done to write down the value of X. Here’s a hint: Fidelity is an investor and has already devalued it by over half. Elon has already stated ad revenue is down over 50%. But sure, he knows what he’s doing …
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)