X: Unverified users may only post 50 times per day
Up to 2400 posts per day were previously allowed for X users. However, those who do not pay for Premium are now limited to only 50.
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The social media platform X is restricting free users: they have recently been subjected to stricter limits for daily posts. This is according to an entry on X's support page, which has caused discussions online in recent days. According to the entry, free users of X may only post 50 original posts and 200 replies per day.
This change was integrated into X's support pages in recent days, as shown by a look at the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine: as of May 5, all users were allowed to publish 2400 posts per day according to the cached support entry. In the old version of the support entry, there was no distinction between paying users with a Premium subscription and free users.
It is unclear exactly when X implemented this change – sometimes support entries are changed well before or after the introduction of a new practice. However, discussions on Reddit show that the new rules are apparently already being enforced. Engadget first reported on it.
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Willingness to pay counts
In its support documents, X writes that the limit applies to “unverified accounts.” In practice, this means accounts that do not pay for the Premium subscription. Because for several years now, X has linked the blue verification checkmark to the subscription. It no longer checks the authenticity of the person but merely serves as proof of a user's willingness to pay.
According to X, the limits on daily posts are intended to reduce server load and thus reduce platform outages. However, the new limit of 50 posts for free users is not a theoretical hurdle that only prevents bot spam: on social media, there are several users who have actually already hit the upper limit.
Only a subscription offers a solution – but it is unclear which one. Because the basic subscription for 3.50 euros per month comes without a verification checkmark. If X's wording is interpreted strictly, then these subscribers would also be considered “unverified” and would only be allowed to write a maximum of 50 posts per day.
(dahe)
