Facebook and Instagram Copying Hated Twitter Feature
Last year, Twitter began charging users for verification, in a decision that proved disastrous for advertisers and users alike. Shockingly, it appears Meta will now follow suit, with a new monthly verification plan that will cost $11.99 per month, covering both Facebook and Instagram. The price will balloon up to $14.99 if purchased on the iOS App Store, and sign-ups will require a government ID. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the plan today in a post on Facebook, stating that subscribers can expect additional security features and direct access to customer support.The feature will start in Australia and New Zealand before being rolled out to all countries.
Unsurprisingly, many users are already balking at the idea of paying a monthly fee for verification, just as they did with Twitter. In one difference from Twitter's initial roll out, it seems that Meta has no current plans to charge legacy verified accounts, or remove their verification. When one user stated that Meta should simply offer these options as the default, Zuckerberg defended the change.
"We already provide protections and some support for everyone. But verifying government IDs and providing direct access to customer support for millions or billions of people costs a significant amount of money," Zuckerberg writes. "Subscription fees will cover this and will also pace how many people sign up so we'll be able to ensure quality as we scale."
It will be interesting to see how users react to this plan as it's rolled out in different territories. Sites like Instagram and Twitter benefit greatly from having high-profile creators and celebrities that use their services; if those users move on to different platforms, it's going to hurt much more than it would have if Meta had simply paid for the added security features. Up-and-coming creators on sites like Instagram are going to have no choice but to pay for these services, or else they'll have to worry even more about impersonation. If a strong competitor to sites like Facebook and Instagram comes around that doesn't charge, it could start to pull creators away.
Do you think this move is a mistake on Meta's part? Are you someone that would pay for verification? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!