In a recent trial, Twitter has introduced a new policy that will only affect new accounts created after October 17, 2023. Existing accounts will not be affected. This move is part of Twitter’s ongoing efforts to combat the presence of bots on their platform, a concern that even Elon Musk has raised in the past. The intention behind this program is to safeguard the user experience by preventing bots and spammers from manipulating the platform, as explained in a support document provided by the company.

Under this trial, new users in the Philippines and New Zealand will be required to verify their phone numbers when signing up, regardless of whether they intend to pay the associated fee. After this initial step, each new user will be presented with several options: pay an annual fee of $1 for access to basic features, subscribe to the $8 per month X Premium service for additional features, or qualify as a verified organization. It is important to note that any fees paid during the beta testing phase will not be refundable. As this is still a beta test, Twitter may ultimately choose to halt or expand the program into other markets in the future.