Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced the roll-out of a new paid verification programme called Meta Verified. As revealed by company CEO Mark Zuckerbergg via a Facebook post, it will be a monthly subscription that gives users exclusive premium features and a badge that confirms their identity, similar to Twitter’s Blue subscription and its checkmarks.

To be clear, platforms under the social media conglomerate have had a verification badge for a while now, but it was limited only to notable accounts. With the new programme, the checkmark is open for anyone to obtain as long as they are willing to pony up the subscription cost, following Twitter’s footsteps but with stricter security protocols to ensure authenticity.

The Meta Verified bundle will provide users with a badge on both Facebook and Instagram after the company has authenticated your account with the submission of a government ID, requiring you to be at least 18 years old and have prior posting history. Subscribers also get protection from being impersonated on the platforms as Meta promises proactive account impersonation monitoring.

In addition to those perks, subscribers will get direct access to a live customer support agent when they need help with issues. Other features include exclusive stickers, 100 free stars every month, and most importantly, increased visibility and reach on Facebook and Instagram in search, comments, and recommendations.

Meta verified facebook instagram — Meta’s existing verified badges.

The tech giant says that you will only be allowed to put your real name on your profile if you get your badge through this subscription. This means that you can’t change your profile name, username, date of birth, or even your profile photo unless you go through the verification process again.

Meta Verified will be rolling out gradually, with its first launch happening in Australia and New Zealand later this week with eventual plans for a global release. The company says the subscription will cost USD11.99 (~RM53) per month on the web or USD14.99 (~RM66) if you pay through iOS and Android.

(Source: Meta)