Meta rolls out paid subscription plan for US audience

Meta Platforms Inc. on Friday launched a new subscription service in the United States, enabling users of Facebook and Instagram to pay for verification, similar to what is currently offered by Elon Musk's Twitter. With this move, Meta Platforms aims to provide an additional layer of authenticity to the profiles of users on its platforms.

According to the company, their new service called "Meta Verified" will enable users to obtain a blue badge on their account after completing the verification process with a government ID. The cost for this service will be $11.99 per month if accessed through the web and $14.99 per month for users of Apple's iOS system and Google-owned Android.

In February, Meta announced that it was testing a new service, which is similar to the ones offered by Snapchat and Telegram. This move is part of a broader trend among social media companies to explore alternative sources of revenue, as they seek to reduce their dependence on advertising.

Last year, following a $44 billion acquisition by Musk, Twitter introduced its Blue subscription service. This service provides users with the option to pay for the coveted blue check mark, which was previously only available to verified accounts belonging to public figures such as politicians and journalists.

When Twitter Blue was initially launched in November, it caused a surge in the number of users who were impersonating celebrities and brands on the platform. As a result, Twitter had to temporarily halt the service. Later, when the service was reintroduced, the company made some changes to it.

For instance, it introduced different colored check marks for individuals, companies, and governments, which helped to mitigate the problem of impersonation.