Beginning Friday, Facebook and Instagram initiated a week-long rollout of their first paid verification service, gauging users’ willingness to invest in social media features that have traditionally been offered at no cost.
In the face of declining advertising revenues, parent company Meta is piloting this subscription service in Australia and New Zealand, with plans for expansion into larger markets. The weekend pricing is set at $11.99 (approximately Rs. 990) for web users, while mobile users on iOS and Android will be charged $14.99 (about Rs. 1,240).
Subscribers in Australia and New Zealand can start applying for a verified badge by confirming their identity with a government-issued ID, which offers benefits such as enhanced protection against impersonation, direct access to customer support, and increased visibility, according to the company.
A Meta spokesperson informed AFP, “We’ll be gradually rolling out access to Meta Verified on Facebook and Instagram, and we expect to achieve 100 percent availability within the first week.”
However, some users in Sydney encountered challenges accessing the service on the rollout’s first day.
In a statement on both platforms, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg articulated, “This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services.”
This initiative offers Meta a path to increase revenue streams from its extensive user base of two billion.
Experts suggest that the increasing number of creators, influencers, and online personalities could be primary beneficiaries of the verification service. Many of these users have expressed frustration over technical issues and administrative delays that hinder their ability to resolve problems, often resulting in lost income.
A Gradual Approach
Jonathon Hutchinson, an online communication lecturer at the University of Sydney, noted that a premium service could be “quite a valuable proposition for a content creator.”
Despite the potential advantages, average users appear reluctant to pay Meta, a company that already profits immensely from user data. A Sydney social media user, Ainsley Jade, remarked, “I think most of my friends would laugh at it,” observing a shift in social media behavior towards more casual usage compared to earlier trends of sharing extensive personal details.
“I think people are sort of moving away from that… but definitely, definitely wouldn’t pay for it — no way!” she added.
Commentators have questioned the rationale behind Meta’s decision to adopt a subscription-based verification model, especially since Twitter’s recent attempt at a similar initiative yielded mixed results. Nevertheless, Hutchinson commented that Meta has a history of experimenting with innovative, and at times risky, business models, often withdrawing from those that fail.
He views the ongoing effort as a part of a larger strategy to condition users to expect paid social media services. “I think it’s part of a slow-burning strategy to transition to a model that isn’t free, where more features and functionalities will eventually require payment or a subscription,” Hutchinson stated.
“Over time, I believe services like joining groups and selling items on ‘Marketplace’ will also evolve into subscription-based offerings,” he concluded.
