Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook-parent Meta, announced the launch of a subscription service called Meta Verified on Sunday. Users will be able to add the coveted blue check mark to their Instagram and Facebook accounts by proving their identity for up to $15 a month, tapping a new revenue stream that has had mixed results for smaller rival Twitter.

The subscription service costs $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, with initial rollouts beginning this week in New Zealand and Australia. Users will be able to utilise their government-issued ID cards to prove their identity using Meta. As well as “greater exposure and reach,” “better protection against impersonation threats,” and “direct access to customer assistance,” the firm claimed that the subscription service would provide.

The reason behind paid verification

In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg said that Meta Verified “is about boosting authenticity and security across our services.” He stated that “additional countries shortly” would be added to the subscription service list without providing a timeframe. We’ve enquired further about Meta, and when we hear back, we’ll update this report.

Following Apple’s decision to implement strict privacy changes on iOS that limit the social firm’s ability to track users’ internet activities, Meta’s revenues have suffered in recent years. For more than 15 years since its founding, Meta has chosen not to charge its customers for the majority of its services. According to the Zuckerberg-led corporation, which derives almost all of its revenue from advertising, Apple’s decision will cost the business more than $10 billion in lost advertising revenue by 2022.

“Long term, we want to build a subscription offering that’s valuable to everyone, including creators, businesses and our community at large. As part of this vision, we are evolving the meaning of the verified badge so we can expand access to verification and more people can trust the accounts they interact with are authentic,” Meta wrote in a blog post.