Meta announces paid blue verification tick on Facebook and Instagram

Digital Desk: A subscription scheme similar to Twitter Blue called "Meta Verified" has officially launched, according to Meta. Users can get verified on Instagram and Facebook, which is one of the main benefits of the Meta Verified subscription. The blue tick that appears next to users' names when a profile is verified over time has grown to be seen as a status symbol. An additional security element will be included in the subscription to aid genuine artists in thwarting bogus accounts. At the moment, $14.99 (about Rs 1,240) per month for iPhones or $11.99 (about Rs 990) per month for the web is being tested for the Meta Verified in Australia and New Zealand.

The cost of Meta Verified in India will probably be increased to appeal to more people. The subscription will be more expensive than Twitter Blue (Rs 900) and even Netflix's premium plan if the business keeps the Rs 1,200. (Rs 649).

Users would have to present a government ID to be confirmed on Facebook and Instagram, according to a blog post by Meta. The benefits of Meta Verified include a verified badge, improved customer service, greater visibility and reach, and exclusive services (stickers on stories). With its Meta Verified subscription, Meta will not, however, restrict advertisements.

According to Meta, it wants to create a worthwhile membership for everyone, including its community, businesses, and creators.

Users that were verified using the previous method will still have their verified badge, according to Meta.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, also posted the announcement on his Facebook page. His message reads: "This week, we're launching Meta Verified, a paid subscription service that gives you direct access to customer support, the ability to acquire a blue badge, additional impersonation security against accounts posing as you, and additional impersonation protection. Increasing authenticity and security across all of our services is the goal of this new functionality."

Just a few weeks after a reverse engineer discovered its development within app coding, Meta verified its subscription. It was released a few days after Twitter unveiled a related subscription called Twitter Blue that includes a verified badge.

Before, users could only get verified through a drawn-out (and confusing) process on Twitter and Meta platforms (Instagram and Facebook). Although it used to be more of a status symbol, the verified badge now represents authenticity.

Users can still obtain verified on Instagram using the outdated method, at least in India. Go to Settings > Account > Request verification to apply for an Instagram blue badge. After reviewing the request, the platform will respond within 24 hours.