Metas tests paid verification for Instagram and Facebook for $11.99 per month on web and $14.99 per month on mobile. In an update on Instagram, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that having a “Meta Verified” account will give users a verified badge, increased visibility, prioritized customer support, and more. The feature is rolling out to Australia and New Zealand this week and will arrive in more countries “soon”.
“This week we begin rolling out Meta Verified – a subscription service that lets you verify your account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, and get instant access to customer support,” Zuckerberg writes. “This new feature is about increasing the authenticity and security of our services.”
To apply to become Meta Verified, you must meet the minimum activity requirements, be at least 18 years of age or older, and provide government-issued ID that matches the name and photo you have on Facebook or Instagram. The new offering is very similar to Elon Musk’s $8 a month version of Twitter Blue, but Meta notes that it won’t make changes to accounts verified using the company’s previous requirements, including notability and authenticity.
In addition, users who sign up for the service will get exclusive stickers for Stories and Reels that will be posted on Instagram and Facebook. It also offers users 100 free stars per month, or the digital currency you can use to tip creators on Facebook. Meta notes that businesses cannot yet apply for a Meta Verified badge, and you cannot change your profile name, username, date of birth, or photo on your profile without going through the Meta Verified subscription and verification application process again. ”
