Meta to Introduce Paid Verification for Facebook and Instagram Users: What You Need to Know

Facebook and Instagram will soon introduce paid verification services on their platforms, a move seen as a way for Meta to follow in Twitter's footsteps. The new service is expected to launch in Australia and New Zealand later this week.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new service in a Facebook post, explaining that the company plans to charge users $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 on iOS and Android for the blue badge and additional features such as anti-copycat protection and enhanced reach. In addition to the blue badge, users will also get direct access to customer support. In Australia, the service will be available for $19.99 online or $24.99 on iOS and Android.

To ensure authenticity, Meta will rely on government documents ID to prove the identity of verified accounts, as well as require a posting history and a minimum age of 18. While the service will not yet be available to businesses, the company hopes to provide verified accounts with "additional benefits" that will improve their visibility.

Meta's move to introduce paid verification services is seen as an attempt to generate more revenue as the company struggles with declining advertising revenue and an economic downturn. In November 2021, Meta laid off 11,000 employees, representing 13% of its workforce, and the company's stock price fell more than 70% in 2022 before recovering. In July, Meta reported its first ever revenue decline.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk responded to Meta's announcement by saying it was "inevitable" that Meta would follow in Twitter's footsteps. He added that Twitter will limit SMS two-factor authentication to paid accounts starting March 20, 2023. Twitter Blue subscribers who pay $8 per month will continue to have access to SMS-based two-factor authentication. However, for non-subscribers using SMS authentication, two-factor authentication will be disabled after the deadline.

Twitter's move has raised concerns about the security of Twitter accounts using SMS authentication, as Twitter's latest transparency report showed that as of December 2021, 74.4% of active Twitter accounts using two-factor authentication still use SMS as their authentication method. Musk has accused Twitter of being defrauded of $60 million per year through fake two-factor authentication messages, and has suggested that telecom companies are running bot accounts to perform the two-factor authentication process and earn from Twitter's text messages.

Meta's decision to introduce paid verification services on Facebook and Instagram is being seen as an attempt to tap into additional revenue streams. However, it remains to be seen whether users will be willing to pay for the verification service or whether the additional features offered will be worthwhile for users.

Twitter's decision to limit SMS-based two-factor authentication to paid accounts has sparked debate about the security of accounts that use SMS authentication. The move could potentially lead to widespread hacks on accounts if users do not switch before the deadline. While two-factor authentication is a useful tool for protecting online accounts, using SMS-based authentication can be risky, as it is vulnerable to phishing attacks and other forms of fraud. Therefore, it is important that users switch to more secure forms of authentication, such as using a security key or third-party apps.