Elon Musk, the founder of the social media platform known as X (formerly Twitter), has admitted to the presence of a bot issue on his platform and has announced that the company is working on a solution. While the current plan may not fully resolve the existing problems, it is aimed at preventing future bot accounts from being created.
According to a recent post by Musk, he proposes implementing a "small fee" for new users to post in order to combat the constant flow of bots. He asserts that the current AI technology can easily pass the bot test. However, he does not specify the exact amount of this fee. Interestingly, the social media platform has previously charged the Philippines and New Zealand US$1 (~RM4.79) for a similar service. Meanwhile, Chris Messina, the inventor of hashtags, has noticed code within the app hinting at a similar feature being introduced sooner rather than later.
For new users who choose not to make a payment, they will still have access to browsing for a limited time. However, they will not be able to post, like, bookmark, or reply. In response to a different post, Musk mentioned that new users who opt not to pay the unlocking fee will have to wait three months before gaining full user privileges.
It is currently uncertain whether these measures will be effective in stopping bots. Some may say that the first verification process that Musk implemented when he bought the platform had similar aims, but it did not prevent trolls from paying the fee. Bot farms focused on making money could possibly pay not only the unlocking fee but also a verification subscription.