Newsletter
X (Twitter) is now putting replies behind a paywall. The latest change made to the platform allows users to only accept replies from verified accounts who paid for X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue).
X has undergone many changes since Elon Musk acquired it. After rounds of massive layoffs, the billionaire shifted the platform’s policies, claiming to reinforce free speech. He later locked some extra features behind a paywall, including an edit button. Now, if you want a blue verified badge and additional perks, you must pay X a monthly fee.
The latest addition to X is quite controversial. The company announced on Monday that users can now limit replies to their posts and only allow paid verified accounts to comment.
You can now set that only verified accounts can respond to your posts on X
X has not yet mentioned any reason for the change. However, some might argue that limiting replies to paid users who passed ID verification could reduce online harassment and misinformation. Additionally, it might make finding cyber criminals and predators easier for law enforcement.
The problem with this argument is that buying a verification badge on X costs only $7.99 per month, and the platform currently hosts endless bots with that badge. The owners pay the monthly fee to make their bots look more authentic and legitimate.
X already prioritized replies from paid users, and the recent move makes engagement harder for those who don’t pay for X Premium. This could also lead to lower engagement rates for the user and platform.
The platform has recently implemented another controversial change that some believe reinforces the spread of disinformation. X now removes headlines from links to the articles, confusing users as there’s no link at all. It remains to be seen if these changes could reduce harassment and disinformation. The European Union has recently accused X of having the highest ratio of disinformation among social platforms, a claim that Musk strongly opposes.