The rumors were true: Facebook parent company Meta is preparing to launch a Twitter Blue-esque subscription called Meta Verified. On Sunday morning, Mark Zuckerberg took to his newly launched broadcast channel to share the news. He said the subscription service would give users a blue badge, extra counterfeit protection and direct access to customer support. “This feature is about increasing the authenticity and security of our services,” Zuckerberg said, adding that Meta would first test the subscription in Australia and New Zealand before rolling it out to other countries. Meta Verified costs $15 USD per month when users subscribe through the company’s apps on iOS and Android. On the web, where app store commissions don’t apply, the service costs $12 USD per month. The plan covers both Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Users must meet certain eligibility requirements before they can sign up for Meta Verified. Specifically, the company told Engadget that the subscription will only be available to users aged 18 or older. Meta also requires potential subscribers to share a government-issued ID that matches the profile name and photo on their Facebook or Instagram account. Once you are verified, you will not be able to change your profile name, username, date of birth or photo without going through the verification process again. Accounts verified for notoriety prior to today’s announcement will remain verified.
In addition to benefits like a blue badge and better visibility in search results, Meta offers verified subscribers 100 free stars, a digital currency they can use to tip creators on Facebook. The subscription also includes access to exclusive stickers for use in Stories and Reels. Rumors that Meta was preparing to try out a paid verification service started swirling in early February when reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi discovered code referring to “paid blue badge” and “identity verification”. Early Sunday morning, social media consultant and former Next website news reporter Matt Navarra discovered that Meta had published an Instagram support page with subscription details, only to later delete it before Zuckerberg’s Instagram post.
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