Muskerberg: Facebook and Instagram Will Introduce Paid Verification à la Twitter

Australia’s getting the new service first.

Following Elon Musk’s lead, Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Facebook and Instagram users will soon be able to pay to verify their account with a blue checkmark.

Zuckerberg said the new verification system would cost USD $11.99 a month on the web or $14.99 a month on IOS or Android (AUD $19.99 and $24.99 respectively).

Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company) later clarified in a blog post that users will need to provide a government-issued ID (like a driver’s license) to verify their identity.

The program is set “to help up-and-coming creators grow their presence and build community faster,” Meta wrote.

“Some of the top requests we get from creators are for broader access to verification and account support, in addition to more features to increase visibility and reach."

Under the new program, users will have to be at least 18 years old and have posts already up.

The new system will be available first to users in Australia and New Zealand “later this week”, although it will not be available to businesses.

If you pay for the service, alongside a verified badge, you’ll also get protection from impersonation, further support, increased reach, and exclusive features.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced back in November that users would be able to purchase verification, later called Twitter Blue.

That move spiralled pretty quickly, with trolls and users paying $8 to impersonate major brands and influencers.

Twitter’s now fixed the verification concerns and is now running Twitter Blue as an option for all users.

Musk responded to the announcement calling it “inevitable” and retweeted a meme about the situation.

🤣

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 19, 2023

Zuckerberg’s move comes during a tough time for Meta.

A downturn in ad revenue and share price value has caused the company to cut 13 per cent of their workforce – around 11,000 people.

It’s unclear just how this new move will change Facebook and Instagram, and if the change will help the company through a tough period.