Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has launched a paid verification service in the United Kingdom. Similar to Elon Musk’s Twitter Blue, the service offers Facebook and Instagram users the opportunity to obtain a blue tick verification badge for a monthly fee starting from £9.99.
To qualify for the paid verification service, subscribers must be at least 18 years old and submit a government-issued ID. The feature has already been made available in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Users who expressed interest in Meta Verified will receive a notification when the service becomes available to them, with a wider rollout expected in the UK over the coming weeks.
Once approved by Meta, verified users will receive a verified badge, providing them with increased protection against impersonation. The tech company will actively monitor the accounts of verified users to identify and deter impostors. Additionally, Meta claims that verified users will have access to a real person to address any account-related issues.
This move by Meta follows Elon Musk’s implementation of the premium Twitter Blue subscription in November 2022. At the time, the introduction of the service sparked controversy as it replaced the previous system where blue ticks were used to verify high-profile accounts. Musk removed the “legacy” verification ticks from account holders on April 20, reserving the “verified” blue badge for those who had subscribed to Twitter Blue and authenticated their phone numbers.
The process of removing blue ticks led to confusion as prominent users, such as Hillary Clinton, lost their verification badges, and subscribers were able to edit their usernames to impersonate them. Twitter later decided to restore blue ticks to several celebrities, governments, and organizations free of charge.
Both Facebook and Instagram already have verification systems in place for notable figures, and Meta does not currently plan to eliminate these systems. According to the platforms’ support pages, users can still apply for a verified badge if they are public figures, celebrities, or brands that meet the necessary requirements.
The introduction of a paid-for verification system signifies a shift in strategy for Facebook and Instagram, which have historically been free to use for all users. The platforms have relied heavily on advertising revenue, which constitutes the majority of Meta’s earnings. While both services will continue to offer free access, the introduction of a paid tier that enhances visibility aims to explore additional avenues for monetizing the platforms.
This development comes six months after Meta announced 11,000 job cuts due to what the company cited as over-investment during the pandemic. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, acknowledged that the anticipated growth did not materialize as expected.