X, formerly known as Twitter, is planning to introduce an annual subscription fee for its users, effectively ending its free access model. Under this new subscription system, X will charge users $1 per year for various activities, including posting content, replies, likes, reposts, quoting posts from other accounts, and bookmarking posts. This subscription model, known as “Not A Bot,” is primarily aimed at countering bots and spammers on the platform.
As of now, X offers its users a premium subscription model known as “X Premium,” which comes with additional features such as a blue checkmark for account verification and early access to certain services like the ability to edit posts. In India, Twitter Blue, which includes access to these features, is priced at ₹900 per month for both Android and iOS devices, with web users paying ₹650 per month. Users can also opt for an annual subscription priced at ₹6,800 for web users, while the annual subscription cost for X on iOS and Android is ₹9,400 per year.
Concerns have been raised about the spread of false and misleading content on social media platforms, including X, particularly during events like the Israel-Hamas conflict. U.S. Senator Michael Bennet has sought information on how tech giants like X are addressing this issue and combating the dissemination of deceptive content on their platforms. Deceptive content has been a growing concern, with misleading visuals, video game footage, and altered documents circulating widely on social media platforms during such conflicts, often amplified by platform algorithms, leading to a cycle of outrage and misinformation.
