Facebook and Instagram owner Meta to launch a paid subscription service starting at $11.99 a month, allowing users to verify their accounts, following a similar move by Elon Musk at Twitter.
This information was disclosed by Mark Zuckerberg in a Facebook post.
In his statement, Zuckerberg said, “This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services,” Meta Verified, which will roll out first in Australia and New Zealand this week, will let users “verify your account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, and get direct access to customer support.”
Musk’s first attempts to launch a similar service on rival social media network Twitter last year backfired spectacularly, resulting in an embarrassing slew of fake accounts that scared advertisers and cast doubt on the site’s future.
He was forced to temporarily halt the effort before resuming it to a lukewarm reception in December.
This new feature could also help weed out fake accounts, as those who are not serious about using the platform may be less likely to pay for this added feature.
However, there are also potential downsides to this approach. Some users may feel that they are being asked to pay for something that should be included as a standard feature of the platform, and this could lead to frustration or even a loss of users. Additionally, there is always the risk of hackers or other bad actors finding ways to circumvent the verification process, which could undermine the entire system.
