Meta is introducing a verified badge, but of course it’s not free

The rumours last month were correct: Meta is introducing a verified status similar to Twitter’s Blue Tick. Imaginatively called ‘Meta Verified, ‘ the new feature rolled out first in Australia and New Zealand in the first phase of testing. Meta has now opened it up to US-based users.

The feature will be available on both Facebook and Instagram, and users will have to submit a valid government ID and pay a subscription to access it.

So what exactly are the benefits of being a meta-verified user? First of all, you get a natty blue tick on your profile stating that you’re verified. This lets everyone know that you’re really who you say you are and not a bot or impersonation.

You’ll also get added protection from impersonation via “proactive account monitoring” for people with rapidly growing audiences. You’ll also get help with your account when needed from, wait for it, a “real person”. That last perk might just be enough to tempt some people on the fence into paying the $11.99 subscription.

Worth the cost?

And if that’s not enough for you, you’ll also get exclusive stickers and the ability to create Facebook Reels. The reach and visibility will also be improved for Verified users via increased exposure in searches, comments, and recommendations.

I do have to wonder whether non-verified users are going to see yet another downturn in visibility after this feature unrolls universally. When Facebook introduced advertisements for business pages, the interaction and visibility dropped dramatically overnight in a way to demand that businesses spend money on ads.

I hope this doesn’t happen for general users. If so, I think we will see droves of people quitting the two social networks. They are already a pretty toxic place, and I can’t see the appeal of paying $12 a month for the privilege of using such a platform in its current state.

What do you think? Will you become Meta Verified?