California: Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) will start charging its new users $1 per year for basic features like writing posts, liking, retweeting and replying to posts.

According to the details, all new unverified users from New Zealand and the Philippines will have to sign up for a fee and verify their account with a phone number.

According to X, existing members in these regions will not be affected and users will be able to create a free ‘read-only’ account.

In a post from X, it was revealed that the platform will be testing a new program called ‘Not a Bot’, which aims to reduce automated spambots from the platform.

X clarified that this change is not for profit, but the subscription option has proven to be a massive solution to this problem.

In the same period, X also published the ‘Not a Bot’ rules and regulations, according to which the subscription service will apply to basic features such as writing posts, liking, retweeting and replying to posts.

Consumers aren’t impressed with CEO Elon Musk’s new plan, saying $1 a year is too much.