Meta is carrying release a just-paid confirmation subscription benefit for Instagram and Facebook users

December 21, 2023: On Sunday, Meta is moving out a recently paid confirmation subscription benefit known as Meta Verified, CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted in an Instagram update.

Nearly $11.99 a month on the web and $14.99 on iOS, users on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms can submit their government ID and get a blue verification badge. Zuckerberg said the service would be started in Australia and New Zealand, and more countries would follow.

“This recent feature is about surging authenticity and security across our services,” Zuckerberg has written in the post.

Meta has verified notable users such as politicians, executives, press members and organizations to signal their legitimacy. The company’s current subscription service is almost identical to Twitter’s revamped service called Twitter Blue, granting users a verification badge rather they pay a monthly payment.

Twitter is launching its updated Twitter Blue subscription service in December after the company’s recent owner Elon Musk pulled and delayed the started launch. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, acquiring Twitter for $44 billion in October, stated the current verification system will be “the great leveller” and give “power to the people.”

Twitter Blue was briefly established in November but was pulled after users abused the recently paid option by impersonating celebrities and brands.

On Sunday, a Meta spokesperson said there are impersonation protections with Meta Verified subscriptions. To qualify, users must be nearly 18 years old, meet most minor account activity requirements and submit an administration ID that matches their profile name and photo. According to the spokesperson, subscriptions will also include “proactive monitoring” for account impersonation.

Musk has been open regarding his intent to eventually remove badges from Twitter accounts verified before the Twitter Blue launch. Still, a spokesperson said that Meta would wait to make changes to already confirmed reports as the company tests its service.

Businesses currently need to be eligible to apply for Meta Verified. The company said users could change their profile name, date of birth, or profile photo after going through the application process again.