Elon Musk's platform, X (previously known as Twitter), has unveiled a strategy to combat the persistent issue of bots plaguing its social media landscape.
Elon, outlining the changes on X's website, underscored the significance of requiring new users to pay a nominal fee.
According to him, this measure stands as the "only way" to effectively counter bot incursions.
He pointed out the limitations of traditional bot-detection methods like CAPTCHA, which are increasingly bypassed by sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) and troll farms.
This initiative mirrors previous efforts in countries like New Zealand and the Philippines, where X began charging non-verified new users an annual fee of $1, limiting their interaction until payment.
The overarching goal is to reduce spam and elevate the quality of user engagement.
While the global rollout timeline and exact fees remain undisclosed, the move signals a proactive step toward enhancing platform integrity.
Combatting Spam with New User Fees
Elon's latest initiative introduces a posting fee for new users, directly targeting the core of the spam epidemic by imposing costs on bot operators managing numerous fake accounts.
Preceding actions included a substantial purge of spam accounts, a move that may reduce follower counts but promises enhanced interaction authenticity.
This strategy aligns seamlessly with his overarching vision of refining user experiences and safeguarding platform integrity.
By globalising the fee structure previously implemented in select regions, X aims to streamline its defenses against bots.
Moreover, this shift may foster genuine user engagement, shifting focus from quantity to the quality of interactions.
Critique from On-Chain Analyst ZachXBT: Will X's "Not a Bot" Fee Truly Deter Scams?
Crypto sleuth ZachXBT cast scepticism on X's recent implementation of an annual fee for new account registrations.
ZachXBT argued that this policy shift is unlikely to thwart scams perpetuated by bot-driven accounts, pointing to the continuous influx of "business-verified scam accounts" entering the platform weekly.
According to ZachXBT, scammers spare no expense, shelling out significant sums to acquire these fraudulent accounts.
While expressing no outright opposition to Elon's stewardship of X, ZachXBT expressed doubts regarding the platform's grasp of the pervasive black market for verified accounts.
Moreover, he cautioned that the new policy could impede user growth.
To underscore the prevalence of scam accounts, ZachXBT shared a screenshot featuring numerous fraudulent profiles enticing users with purported rewards tied to the interoperability protocol Wormhole.
Notably, many of these accounts bore the coveted gold checkmarks emblematic of X's existing verification standards.
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