Elon Musk caused quite a stir when he introduced a paid tier to Twitter, but it appears that his move has inspired other tech giants to follow suit. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced a paid verification system, dubbed Meta Verified.
According to an official statement from Meta, the new subscription bundle would offer users account verification and direct access to increased visibility and support. Initially, the service will be available to users in Australia and New Zealand this week.
Meta Verified will cost $11.99 a month on the web, or $14.99 for iPhone users, and is currently only available for individual verifications. However, businesses cannot apply for the service at this time.
Unlike Twitter, Facebook has assured that already-verified accounts on Instagram and Facebook will see no change in terms of authenticity and notability. This is in contrast to Twitter’s recent announcement that legacy verified accounts would lose their verified badge and have to subscribe to Twitter Blue to regain access to certain features. Twitter is ditching SMS two-factor authentication for normal users and making it exclusive only to paid users as well.
READ ALSO ABOUT: Introducing Twitter Blue – Twitter’s First-Ever Subscription Offering
Who is Eligible to Meta Verified? How to Buy Verification on Facebook and Instagram
To obtain a verified badge on Facebook or Instagram, users must have a prior posting history and be at least 18 years old. Additionally, the name and photograph on the profile must match the user’s government ID. If a user is staying anonymous or using a pen name or alias, they are not eligible for the service. Once verified, subscribers cannot change their profile name, username, date of birth, or photo without going through the Meta Verified subscription and verification process again.
This move towards paid subscriptions reflects a wider trend in the tech industry, with companies increasingly exploring new ways to monetize their services. It remains to be seen whether subscription models will become the norm, and how much consumers are willing to pay for enhanced experiences.
In any case, the introduction of Meta Verified shows that Facebook is willing to learn from its competitors and adapt its business model accordingly. It will be interesting to see how this new service is received by users, and whether it proves to be a successful revenue stream for the company. Share with us in the comment section your thoughts and opinions on this.
