CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of Meta Verified, a new paid subscription verification service, in an Instagram post. Meta platform users on Instagram and Facebook can submit an ID and receive a blue verification badge for $11.99 per month on the web and $14.99 per month on iOS. Zuckerberg said the service will launch in Australia and New Zealand this week, with other countries to follow.
In the post, Zuckerberg stated that the new feature aims to increase authenticity and security across services. To demonstrate their legitimacy, Meta has historically granted verification to notable users such as politicians, executives, members of the press, and organizations. The company’s new subscription service is similar to Twitter’s most recent service, ‘Twitter Blue,’ which also grants users a verification badge for a monthly fee.
According to a Meta spokesperson, impersonation protections are in place with Meta Verified subscriptions. Users must be at least 18 years old, meet minimum account activity requirements, and submit a government ID that matches their profile name and photo in order to qualify.
Subscriptions will also include “proactive monitoring” for account impersonation, the spokesperson said. However, Meta does not change authenticated accounts while the company is testing the service.
Businesses cannot currently apply for Meta Verified, and the company stated that users cannot change their profile name, username, date of birth, or profile picture without reapplying.
