Meta’s new subscription service for verified Facebook and Instagram users feels more like a money grab than an improvement.
Meta is testing monthly subscription services for Facebook and Instagram that will give users blue tick verification, in a controversial move that echoes Twitter Blue.
The new Meta Verified subscription will be available in Australia and New Zealand later this week, with Meta stating (opens in new tab) that it hopes to bring the service “to the rest of the world soon”.
The monthly subscription, which will cost $11.99 / AU$19.99 (around £10) on the web and $14.99 / AU$24.99 (around £13) on iOS and Android, comes with features that are mainly aimed at creators who want to fast-track their way to success on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta says there are five main benefits to having a Meta Verified subscription. Firstly, you’ll get a verified badge, which will require you to send a government-issued ID like a passport to Meta for authentication.
You’ll also get what Meta calls ‘proactive account monitoring’ for ward off impersonators, along with security help from “a real person”. But the most tempting, and controversial, aspect of Meta Verified is the promise of “increased visibility and reach with prominence in some areas of the platform”, including in search, comments and recommendations.
