Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced the launch of its subscription-based verification service, Meta Verified, in the United States. This service enables users to pay for verification in a manner similar to Twitter's Blue Check Mark service. After verifying their accounts with a government ID, users will receive a blue badge for a cost of $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 per month on Apple's iOS system and Google's Android.
The service follows the footsteps of Snapchat, Telegram and other social media companies, marking a shift away from advertising and toward subscription-based services. Twitter had initially offered the Blue subscription service to users, but due to an influx of impersonators had to halt the service and reintroduce it with alternate colored checks for individuals, companies and governments.
Meta Verified also provides users with proactive account protection to guard against impersonators as well as access to account support on Facebook and Instagram. During its testing in Australia and New Zealand, Meta Verified offered users increased visibility in search, comments and recommendations, although the company paused this feature in order to further explore its value. ,
The launch of Meta Verified furthers Meta's ambition to diversify its revenue streams with subscription-based services, enabling users to take control of their identity and visibility on social media.