Menlo Park (Caasimada Online) – Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced the launch of a new paid subscription service called “Meta Verified” that will allow users to verify their accounts for a monthly fee starting at $11.99.
The service will initially be launched in Australia and New Zealand. It will enable users to obtain a blue badge, extra protection against impersonation, and access to customer support.
The move is part of Meta’s efforts to increase authenticity and security across its platforms.
Users can verify their accounts with a government ID, and only those over 18 years old will be allowed to subscribe. Existing verified accounts on Facebook and Instagram will not be affected, and the service is not yet available for businesses.
The launch of “Meta Verified” comes in the wake of Elon Musk’s attempt to introduce a similar service on Twitter. However, Musk’s effort backfired due to the proliferation of fake accounts that cast doubts on the platform’s future.
Meta has been facing financial difficulties over the past year and announced in November 2022 that it would lay off 11,000 employees or 13 percent of its workforce, which was the company’s most considerable worker reduction in history.
The move was part of a wider trend of redundancies announced by Silicon Valley companies as the tech industry faces economic challenges.
Meta has also been making a big bet on the metaverse, the virtual reality world that Mark Zuckerberg believes will be the next big thing online.
The company’s stock price had dropped significantly over the last year. However, it has started to recover some of the ground in 2023.
The launch of “Meta Verified” is part of the company’s efforts to empower content creators and to provide them with tools to grow and build communities.
The subscription bundle will be available on the web, on Apple’s iOS and Android, with pricing starting at $11.99 per month.
Other social media apps, such as Snapchat and Telegram, have already introduced paid subscription services to generate revenue. The launch of “Meta Verified” is another step in Meta’s efforts to diversify its sources of income.
