FACEBOOK parent company Meta has expanded its paid verification offering to the UK – which can cost users a whopping £120 a year.
It’s not compulsory, so you don’t need to be concerned that your social media privileges are being locked behind a paywall.
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However, it does mark a shift at Facebook and Instagram in the same direction as Elon Musk’s Twitter.
It appears Musk created a brand new business model for social media companies, which involves putting a price tag on select features that were previously free or hard to attain.
Similar to Twitter Blue, the service gives Facebook and Instagram users a blue tick for £9.99 a month, alongside some other bonuses.
It should be noted, however, that iPhone owners who pay for the new feature inside the Instagram or Facebook app will have to pay £11.99 per month.
This is because of a surcharge that Apple applies to purchases through its App Store.
Subscribers must also be at least 18-years-old and upload a government ID to the website to sign up.
The feature, called Meta Verified, has already been rolled out to those in the US, Australia and New Zealand.
It gives users access to extra features such as two-factor authentication, which provides extra security against hackers but was previously free.
Verified users also get ‘exclusive stickers’ across Facebook Reels and Instagram Stories.
More importantly though, paying customers get to talk “to a real person” if they have any issues with their account.
Some say the price tag is worth it for the unlocked features, but others say it is simply a vanity exercise.
People embarked on the same debate – and still do – when it comes to Twitter Blue.
But unlike Twitter Blue, those who are legacy verified will stay that way.
Speaking about Meta Verified, one person wrote on Twitter: “Maybe for celebrities, but like Twitter Blue, it’s just not worth it.”
“I thought Twitter Blue users were annoying as f*** but then I experienced what it’s like to encounter someone who’s ‘Meta Verified,'” said another.
Verified members must have a profile picture that resembles them and use their government name – for now.
This helps authenticate their account and aid Meta in busting any impersonators.
But this isn’t ideal for everyone.
“Meta Verified won’t work because my license picture I have long hair. Seriously?,” one user wrote on Twitter.
Another confused user chimed in, saying: “They want you to use your government name.
“I’m going by my entertainment name, I just won’t have a [blue tick] badge.”
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