It looks like Meta could be joining Twitter and start charging people for verified accounts according to recent reports.
With social media outlets looking for new revenue streams, this is not terribly surprising.
Nonetheless, it somewhat makes us ask the question “who asked for this?“
On top of that, what kind of benefits do you get on Meta platforms that previously never really had a verification system, quite like Twitter’s?
You see, one of the things about Twitter‘s new service that many people decried is that it allegedly hollowed out the cachet that previously came with being a verified account.
Reserved for celebrities and noteworthy individuals, the verification checkmark on Twitter was a badge of pride for many that now seems somewhat diluted given that you can obtain it via subscription.
The same dynamic is not really at play with Facebook or Instagram. Even so, one of the major benefits that Facebook and Instagram are listing for this service includes identity theft protection or protection from impersonation on the company's social media platforms. Whatever monetary value that may have remains to be seen.
Interestingly, Meta claims that this feature is about “increasing authenticity” on their services. Apparently, this new subscription feature will help creators grow their audiences faster. This will be done through increased visibility in things such as search, comments, and recommendations, PetaPixel reports. There are some requirements in order to become verified, however, among which include a minimum activity level on the platform. In addition, users will need to submit an identification card that matches the account’s information although we don’t really know how that works at this point.
There is no mention whatsoever of advertising credits or anything like that – it seems like the subscription service is purely for verification and, of course, to bring in more money for the parent company.
Do you think Facebook and Instagram’s new verification subscription service will be worth it for your account or your business account? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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