Meta recently announced that Facebook and Instagram would soon require their users to pay a monthly subscription to secure the blue check just like what Twitter has already been doing.
Did Mark Zuckerberg Copy Elon Musk?
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, made the announcement on Sunday via Facebook. It was made clear, however, that the program would be launched first in Australia and New Zealand later this week.
Avid social media users were quick to respond to the news with some suggesting that Zuckerberg copied the idea of Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, to add a subscription service for the blue verification badge since his takeover last year. The Tesla CEO instantly retorted to the tweets and said that Zuckerberg’s move is “inevitable.”
Most, if not, all are aware that Musk’s attempts to introduce the subscription service on Twitter were initially met with criticisms due to the increase of trolls and fake accounts that alarmed advertisers and opened discussions about the social media network’s sustainability. Musk temporarily put a halt to the subscription service and resumed it in December 2022.
The general objective of Meta in implementing the subscription service is to primarily increase security and authenticity across Facebook and Instagram, which have become two of the most popular social media sites today. Prices of the said new service are yet to be announced, including how the netizens would embrace it.
Inside Meta’s New Verification System
Reports claimed the new service would cost $24.99 for iOS and Android users. Web users, on the other hand, would need to pay $19.99 on a monthly basis to enjoy the service.
The new verification systems for both Facebook and Instagram are seen to provide more thorough impersonation security, increased reach for authenticated users, direct access to customer support, and the blue badge signifying that the accounts are verified.
Meta announced that verified accounts would need to provide official identification documents to prove their identities. The company also claims that subscribers would benefit from increased visibility and a badge indicating that the accounts have been verified with a government-issued ID.
The new subscription service is expected to undergo changes after a test phase and is primarily intended for content creators, vloggers, and streamers who wish to increase their social media presence. Lastly, only users who are at least 18 years old would be permitted to subscribe, and verified accounts on both Facebook and Instagram would not be affected.
