Tech giant Meta has announced the launch of a new subscription service called “Meta Verified” (metadata verification) for Facebook and Instagram. The service allows content creators to verify their accounts with a government ID, get a blue badge, and receive extra impersonation protection against fake accounts claiming to be them. The service also provides direct access to customer support. The subscription service will be available for $11.99/month on the web and $14.99/month on iOS. Initially, Meta Verified will be rolled out in Australia and New Zealand before expanding to other countries.

It’s unclear whether the Meta service will be available for Android users, as they may have to wait for its availability. The paid subscription service is similar to Twitter Blue (how to get twitter verified), which provides a blue verified badge, longer videos, tweet editing, 1080p video uploads, fewer ads, and other benefits to its users at a monthly charge.

Twitter Blue’s paid verification service has also been launched globally, including in India, where users can purchase the blue tick at a monthly subscription of Rs 650 for the web and Rs 900 for iOS/Android. Meta Verified and Twitter Blue’s services will help the social media platforms create a new revenue stream.

Meta has not provided a specific timeline for the rollout of its latest feature to other countries, although its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stated in a post that it would happen “soon.” Subscription-based models are also used by other websites such as Reddit, YouTube, and Discord.

Last November, the company announced the loss of 11,000 jobs due to over-investment during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Zuckerberg acknowledged that he had anticipated Meta’s growth to continue at the same rate due to the pandemic, but that did not materialize.

In his own words, “Like many people, I predicted that this would be a permanent acceleration, so I made the decision to significantly increase our investments.” However, he admitted that the “macroeconomic downturn” and “increased competition” had caused revenues to fall far short of expectations.

He accepted responsibility for the misjudgment, stating, “I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”

Late last year, Snap, the messaging group, launched its own subscription model known as Snapchat Plus. The subscription costs $3.99 per month and provides users with exclusive access to new features such as longer story expiration and custom notification sounds.

What is a blue check?

A blue check, also known as a blue verification badge, is a symbol displayed on social media profiles to indicate that the account has been verified by the platform as authentic and belonging to a notable public figure, celebrity, or brand. The blue check is a way to distinguish official accounts from impersonators or fan accounts.