On February 19, 2023 (US time), Meta announced that it will test the subscription plan “Meta Verified”, which includes account authentication functions and access to support.
Meta Verified is a subscription plan that provides subscription subscribers with functions such as account authentication with a blue badge and account support by a representative. The monthly fee is $11.99 for web applications and $14.99 for iOS/Android in-app billing. Meta Verified testing begins this weekend in Australia and New Zealand.
Currently, Instagram and Facebook only grant blue verification badges to celebrities, brands, and other accounts who apply for verification and are verified to be genuine. With the newly introduced Meta Verified, users over the age of 18 who meet the minimum activity requirements such as past posting history are eligible to apply, so even non-famous accounts can be verified. According to Meta, even after the introduction of Meta Verified, there will be no changes to accounts that have already been verified based on requirements such as visibility.
When verifying your account on Meta Verified, you must submit a government-issued ID that matches your Instagram or Facebook account profile name and photo. If you pass the review, your account will be given a blue verified badge to clearly identify it as your account. At this time, Meta Verified account authentication only supports real-name profiles, and once authenticated, you cannot change your profile name, profile picture, or date of birth unless you apply for Meta Verified authentication again.
With Meta Verified, you’ll get expert help when you need it for account verification and general account issues. In addition, it will be prioritized in searches, comments, and suggested posts, making it more efficient to promote your account.
According to Meta, the expansion of access to account authentication and account support has been requested by many creators, and they have been considering introducing it since last year.
Since November 2022, Twitter, which has no shortage of topics, will provide an account authentication function by subscription as a function of Twitter Blue. Twitter Blue sells that anyone who registers for a monthly subscription of $7.27 can be authenticated. However, it is reported that less than 0.2% of all Twitter users are Twitter Blue registrants, and it can be said that many general users are not strongly attracted to subscribing to account authentication.
On the other hand, Meta Verified is a service with strong spoofing prevention properties, such as a review being conducted at the time of authentication. Although a simple comparison cannot be made due to the nature of the services being different, the success of Meta Verified will depend on how much it can convey to Instagram and Facebook creators the merits of paying to register.
