Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced the launch of Meta Verified, a paid subscription service that will allow users to pay for a blue tick verification. For $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 for iPhone users, any individual can pay for verification. The move is aimed at improving security and authenticity on the social media apps, according to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO. The paid subscription service is not yet available for businesses, but any individual can pay for verification, which would give them a blue badge, increased visibility of their posts, protection from impersonators and easier access to customer service.

Previously, allowing paying users to access a blue tick has caused issues for other social media platforms. Twitter suspended its pay-for-verification feature in November after people began impersonating prominent brands and celebrities by paying for the badge.

To avoid similar problems, Meta has announced that Instagram and Facebook users seeking verification must have usernames matching a government-issued ID document, along with a profile picture containing their face. Other platforms such as Reddit, YouTube, and Discord also utilize subscription-based models.

Meta has yet to specify the exact date for the feature’s expansion to other countries, but CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stated that it will be coming “soon.” The company suffered 11,000 job losses in November due to over-investment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zuckerberg had previously predicted an increase in Meta’s growth due to the pandemic but ultimately did not see the expected rise.

In a past statement, Mark Zuckerberg admitted to making an incorrect prediction about the growth of Meta (formerly Facebook), resulting in over-investment and 11,000 job losses. He had anticipated a “permanent acceleration” due to the pandemic but cited “macroeconomic downturn” and “increased competition” as reasons for the lower than expected revenue. Zuckerberg took full responsibility for the mistake.

The recent introduction of a paid tier by Elon Musk on Twitter has drawn criticism from some in the tech sector. However, the experiment has shown that customers are still willing to pay for a better experience on social media platforms.

Free-to-use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok rely on user data to sell targeted ads, generating massive profits. This has led to the popular saying that “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” As both Big Tech and its customers face tough times, the success of paid tiers may indicate a shift in how users approach their online experiences.

Consumers are becoming more aware of how their data is being used by tech companies and are taking action to protect their privacy. For example, Apple introduced a feature that allows users to opt out of being tracked online, and a majority of people have chosen to do so. This has led to complaints from Meta (formerly Facebook) about the impact on their advertising revenue.

In response to this shift, some companies are exploring subscription-based models as an alternative to relying on targeted ads. Elon Musk’s recent experiment with a paid tier on Twitter and Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to introduce a paid verification feature on Meta’s platforms suggest that they are testing the waters to see how much consumers are willing to pay for an enhanced experience. It remains to be seen whether this shift will lead to a significant change in the way we pay for and use social media.