A sign that reads Meta on a wall
Some Instagram users can now pay for blue tick verification, parent company Meta has announced.
Meta Verified costs $11.99 (£9.96) a month on the web or $14.99 for iPhone users and will be available in Australia and New Zealand this week.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the move will improve the security and authenticity of the social media app.
The move comes after Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, implemented a paid verification system in November 2022.
Instagram’s paid subscription service isn’t available for businesses yet, but individuals can pay for verification.
Badges — or “blue ticks” — have been used as verification tools for high-profile accounts to denote their authenticity.
The subscription would give paying users a blue badge, increased visibility of their posts, protection from impersonators, and easier access to customer service, Meta said in a post on its website.
The company told the BBC the change would not affect previously verified accounts, but noted that visibility would increase for some smaller users who get verified thanks to the paid feature.
Allowing paying users access to a blue tick has previously caused problems for other social media platforms.
Twitter’s paid verification feature was suspended last November when people began impersonating big brands and celebrities by paying for the badge.
Meta said Instagram usernames must match a government-provided ID document to receive verification, and users must have a profile picture that includes their face.
Other sites like Reddit, YouTube, and Discord also use subscription-based models.
Meta hasn’t indicated when the feature will roll out in other countries, though Mr Zuckerberg said in a post it would be “soon”.
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