Mark Zuckerberg has opted to follow the steps of Elon Musk by offering a verification subscription similar to that of the Twitter blue subscription. Mark Zuckerberg called it Meta verified, a subscription service providing subscribers with more security and privacy features. The update has generated a lot of reactions, with many making fun of Meta for copying the steps of Elon Musk's Twitter and others happy about the new development.
In a blog post, Meta said they were "testing a new offering called Meta Verified, a subscription bundle on Instagram and Facebook that includes a verified badge that authenticates your account with government ID, proactive account protection, access to account support, and increased visibility and reaches. We’re starting with a gradual test in Australia and New Zealand later this week to learn what’s most valuable, and we hope to bring Meta Verified to the rest of the world soon."
Verified Instagram and Facebook accounts must be paid for with the new development. That means those looking to verify their accounts for more credible businesses will finally have the chance. Compared to Twitter blue subscription, the price for verified Instagram accounts and that of Facebook is a bit high. Also, the first countries receiving this new update from Meta are Australia and New Zealand. But Mark Zuckerberg assured users they would roll out the service to other countries.
"Meta Verified is available for direct purchase on Instagram or Facebook in Australia and New Zealand starting later this week. People can purchase a monthly subscription for (USD) $11.99 on the web and (USD) $14.99 on iOS and Android," Meta said in a blog post.
Subscription Services Now Popular Among Social Media Firms
Meta seems to follow the steps of other social media firms, especially Twitter, in establishing their verification subscription services. According to the company, their long-term goal of creating the verification subscription is to ensure that creators and the community are well catered for. "Long term, we want to build a subscription offering that’s valuable to everyone, including creators, businesses and our community at large. As part of this vision, we are evolving the meaning of the verified badge so we can expand access to verification and more people can trust the accounts they interact with are authentic," Meta added.
Although Meta closely follows Twitter's blue subscription, other social media platforms already offer subscription services to their users. Snap was one of the first major social media firms that started after they launched their paid subscription service last year. But the major highlight of this trend was when Elon Musk took over the leadership of Twitter and changed how the subscription services worked. After acquiring Twitter for about $44 billion, Elon revamped the blue checkmark. He added more features for those using the blue checkmark and added a price tag to it. He also added a fee for other Twitter features and services like access to Twitter's API. From all indications, it seems Meta and its CEO are closely copying Twitter.
But Meta has said they will continuously learn to improve the service for their users. According to them, "As we test and learn, there will be no changes to accounts on Instagram and Facebook that are already verified based on prior requirements, including authenticity and notability."