Elon Musk announced that new users might incur charges for posting content on the social platform X (formerly Twitter). Responding to a user query on the platform, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX explained that implementing “a small fee for new user write access” is necessary to combat the persistent threat of bots.
Unfortunately, a small fee for new user write access is the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots.Current AI (and troll farms) can pass “are you a bot” with ease.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 15, 2024
Musk was responding to a tweet made by the X Daily News which had posted a notice by the platform stating that new accounts are required to pay a “small annual fee” before being able to “post, like, bookmark, and reply”. The notice added that this was to “reduce spam” and “create a better experience for everyone.”
Users can, however, continue to follow accounts for free.
“The onslaught of fake accounts also uses up the available namespace, so many good handles are taken as a result,” Musk explained in his response.
Musk also highlighted that current AI can easily bypass traditional bot detection measures.
“Current AI (and troll farms) can pass ‘are you a bot’ with ease,” he said.
Emphasising that this measure targets new users exclusively, Musk clarified that after a probationary period of three months, users would regain free write access.
This announcement follows the platform’s decision last October to charge new unverified users in New Zealand and the Philippines a fee of $1 per year.
Recently, X initiated a massive purge of spam accounts, resulting in some users losing followers. The platform has been grappling with an influx of spam and porn bots in recent months, prompting Musk to initiate the purge.
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