Paid verification on Instagram and Facebook launched by Meta in the US

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has announced that Meta Verified will now be available on Instagram and Facebook in the United States.

Last month, a subscription service was launched in Australia and New Zealand that allows users to add a blue check mark to their Instagram and Facebook accounts for a monthly fee. The service, called Meta Verified, costs $11.99 per month on the web and $14.99 per month on mobile. Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta Verified is now available in the US and offers a badge, proactive impersonation protection, direct customer support, and other benefits.

To sign up for Meta Verified, you must join the waitlist, be at least 18 years old, complete the verification process, and provide a government-issued photo ID to confirm your identity. Two-factor authentication is also required. Once approved, subscribers cannot change their profile name, photo, username, or date of birth without completing the verification process again.

Meta Verified also comes with exclusive stickers for Facebook and Instagram Stories, 100 Stars a month on Facebook to support other creators, and increased visibility and reach in search, comments, and recommendations in Australia and New Zealand. However, Meta is currently reflecting on the early feedback from subscribers and exploring the offering before expanding it outside those countries.

Meta's decision to offer a paid subscription service is a departure from its previous approach, but it is not alone. Twitter also debuted paid verification for $8 per month through its revamped Blue subscription service. Musk, who owns Twitter, has promised to get rid of legacy verification badges, but has not done so yet.

Meta's Meta Verified service is intended to offer users the blue checkmark, which was previously only available to public figures such as politicians, actors, musicians, athletes, and journalists. However, Musk has argued that blue checkmarks should be open to all. Snap also launched its own subscription service last year, which has since converted 2.5 million users into paid customers.

To use Meta Verified, you must navigate to your settings on Instagram or Facebook and click "Accounts Center." If the service is available for your account, you will see "Meta Verified available" under your name and profile picture. Then, you can select your preferred payment method and complete the verification process.