Social app X, formerly known as Twitter, has started charging new users $1 in an attempt to reduce spam, manipulation and bot activity. However, previous attempts to charge users have not been successful in preventing phishing scams by verified accounts on the platform. Crypto-focused bot armies and scammers extensively use X's premium service, which costs $8 a month and rewards a blue tick to users. Market observers believe that other measures, such as enhancing reporting measures and using blockchain, may be more effective in mitigating the bot problem.