Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has recently announced the launch of a new feature, Meta Verified, a paid verification subscription that will provide users with a blue “Meta Verified” badge, increased visibility across platforms and priority customer support.
The company has worked with Apple and Google to offer in-app purchases of the blue badge via the two major app stores.
How to get verified
To become Meta Verified, the user must be at least 18 years old and submit a government ID that matches the name and photo they have on Facebook or Instagram.
Benefits of Meta Verified
Verified users will receive exclusive stickers for Stories and Reels and 100 free stars per month, a digital currency that can be used to tip creators on Facebook. The feature will also provide extra protection against fake accounts, ensuring authenticity and increasing security across all Meta services.
The cost
According to Meta, a user can get verified for $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 per month on mobile.
That said, in Australia and New Zealand, where the features are currently being rolled out, Meta Verified costs AUD 19.99 on web and AUD 24.99 on mobile or NZD 23.99 on the web and NZD 29.99 on mobile.
Limitations
Once a user is Meta Verified, they are unable to change their profile name, username, birthday, or profile photo without going through the verification process all over again. However, accounts that are already verified will remain unchanged.
According to Meta, businesses can’t yet apply for a Meta Verified badge, but a subscription service will be introduced in the future that will be valuable to creators and businesses.