Can we blame Elon? Because Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is introducing a new subscription service called “Meta Verified” which offers users a blue verification badge, increased visibility, prioritized customer support and more. The feature is rolling out in Australia and New Zealand this week, costing $11.99 per month on web and $14.99 per month on mobile.
To sign up, users must meet minimum activity requirements, be at least 18 years old, and submit a government ID that matches the name and photo on their Facebook or Instagram accounts. While the service has been compared to Elon Musk‘s $8 per month Twitter Blue, Meta says it won’t make any changes to accounts that have been verified using the company’s previous requirements, such as notability and authenticity.
Users who sign up will also receive exclusive stickers for Stories and Reels and 100 free stars per month, the digital currency used to tip creators on Facebook. However, businesses cannot apply for a Meta Verified badge, and users cannot change their profile name, username, birthday or profile photo without going through the verification process again.