Elon Musk has responded after Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to charge Facebook and Instagram users for verified accounts.
The CEO of Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – announced Meta Verified on his social media accounts yesterday (Sunday 19 February).
He said trials would begin this week in New Zealand and Australia and would soon follow in other countries.
For $11.99 a month (£10) on the web or $14.99 (£12.50) a month on the Apple and Android operating systems, Meta will use a government identity to verify a user’s account and award them a blue badge.
Previously, Meta’s blue badges were free and reserved for notable public figures or businesses.
It comes after Twitter attracted controversy by charging $8 dollars (£6.65) per month for Blue to verify its account with a blue tick.
Responding to a tweet announcing the news of Meta Verified, Twitter boss Musk wrote: “Inevitable.”
On Saturday (February 18), Twitter took its service a step further, announcing that Twitter users will lose the ability to secure their accounts with two-factor authentication unless they subscribe to an $8 monthly Twitter Blue subscription. don’t pay for.
As online advertising slows down, social media companies are trying to find new sources of revenue.
Earlier this month, Meta announced its third consecutive quarter of declining revenue despite an increase in users.
The company announced it was laying off 11,000 employees, or 13 percent of its workforce, in November.
“This new feature is all about enhancing the authenticity and security of our services.
“Meta Verified starts at $11.99/month on the web or $14.99/month on iOS. We’re launching in Australia and New Zealand this week, with more countries coming soon.”
Meta said that public figures and others who were previously verified will not be affected by the change.
Meta Verified is aimed at influencers and others who use social media for their business but are not notable public figures.
Original Source @BizCrast