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Meta announced that it would start imposing a monthly fee of $11.99 for a blue badge on Facebook and Instagram.
Features sites’ its of for paying start to users power wants — Instagram and Facebook of company parent the — Meta: Input
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, announced on Sunday through posts on Facebook and Instagram that a new subscription service named Meta Verified will be launched this week in Australia and New Zealand, with plans for further expansion to other countries. Subscribers will receive a blue badge and have direct access to customer support for a monthly fee of $11.99 (or $14.99 if purchased on Apple’s iOS). The company described this initiative as a “gradual test.”
Zuckerberg stated, “Subscribers will receive additional protection against impersonation by claiming their accounts.” The company mentioned that subscribers will only be allowed to use their legal names on their profiles and pages, and they will need to submit a government ID to prove their identity in order to become eligible for Verified Meta users. Mr. Zuckerberg added, “This new feature aims to enhance security and authenticity across our services.”
A spokesperson from Meta announced that the service will be extended to the United States within the coming weeks. Regarding the availability of Meta Verified, the spokesperson chose not to disclose the names of other countries. It was mentioned that Facebook and Instagram accounts must be separately enrolled in Meta Verified. This implies that individuals desiring blue badges on both platforms will need to pay a minimum of $2.4 per month. However, Meta intends to eventually provide bundled subscription options.
In a blog post, Meta stated that individuals with existing authenticated accounts on Instagram and Facebook would be able to keep them without any charge. The corporation characterized the novel paid offering as a means for them to “assist emerging content creators in expanding their influence and establishing a community more rapidly.”
Twitter announced last week that it would soon disable two-factor authentication for paid subscribers who use B.lue, its messaging service. Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, is planning to introduce a monthly charge for users to have a blue checkmark on their accounts, following Meta’s subscription strategy.
Facebook reported its latest quarterly earnings this month, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg declaring 2.02.3 as the “Year of Efficiency.” He stated that the company is focused on becoming more nimble and stronger, as it continues to invest billions in the so-called metaverse shift. Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has been hunting for new income streams and cutting costs lately.
Stacy Cowley is a reporter who has previously reported on a variety of business topics for websites and magazines such as Small B.usiness Fortune, Money CNN, focusing on economics and technology. She is a finance reporter with a particular focus on consumer data security and issues.
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