X, formerly known as Twitter, is testing a signup model wherein new users will have to either pay to become a verified enterprise account, opt into an X premium subscription, or pay a $1 annual fee to prove they’re not a bot. The trial, which began on Oct. 17, is currently only applicable to new users in New Zealand and the Philippines.
The experiment, according to a post on X’s help center, is called “Not A Bot.” As its name implies, its purpose is reportedly to deter bot activity on the app by requiring all users (who are included in the test) to verify their phone number and payment method.