Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is launching a new paid verification subscription service called “Meta Verified“. This was announced by Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Instagram Sunday Update.
The service will allow users on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms to submit their government ID and get a blue verification badge for $11.99 per month on the web and $14.99 per month on iOS.
The service will initially be introduced in Australia and New Zealand, with more countries to follow in the future.
The question is why is Meta introducing “Meta Verified”?
According to Zuckerberg, the new feature is intended to increase authenticity and security across Meta’s services.
But Meta has previously granted verification badges to notable users such as politicians, executives, members of the press, and organizations as a signal of their legitimacy. The company’s new subscription service is similar to Twitter’s revamped Twitter Blue, which also offers a verification badge for a monthly fee.
Is this an approach to increase the safety of Meta’s platforms?
Meta has stated that there are impersonation protections for Meta Verified subscriptions.
- Users must be at least 18 years old,
- meet minimum account activity requirements, and
- submit a government ID matching their profile name and photo to qualify for the verification badge.
- Subscriptions will also include proactive monitoring for account impersonation.
Will “Meta Verified” live longer than Twitter Blue?
Elon Musk, who recently acquired Twitter for $44 billion, launched Twitter Blue in December 2022. Twitter Blue also offers a verification badge for a monthly fee. Musk has said that the new verification system will “give power to the people” and be “the great leveller.” However, Twitter Blue was briefly launched in November 2022 and then pulled after users abused the new paid option by impersonating celebrities and brands.
Meta has stated that businesses are not currently eligible to apply for Meta Verified, and users will not be able to change their profile name, username, date of birth, or profile photo without going through the application process again. Meta has also stated that it will not make changes to accounts that are already verified as the company tests its service.
As Meta rolls out its new paid verification subscription service, questions arise about whether users will be willing to pay for the service and how it may impact the authenticity of the verified profile.
While the new service is a positive step towards creating a more trustworthy and secure environment on the platforms, the success of the service will depend on user adoption and whether it can deliver on its intended goals.
