Recently, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and instagram, announced that it would begin offering a payment verification service for accounts in the United States. This means that users will be able to pay to get a verification badge, which will give them more credibility on the platform.
Online verification has become increasingly important to businesses in recent years as they look for ways to increase their revenue. Twitter has been one of the first social networks to launch a subscription model in order to obtain verification, now it has been the turn of Instagram and Facebook.
Previously, verification was granted only to those who met certain criteria, such as having a large following or being a well-known public figure. However, now anyone can pay for the verification, which has generated some controversy on social networks and more when the prices are not cheap.
On the one hand, some argue that this will allow smaller companies and individuals to get the verification they need to establish their credibility online, which could be particularly useful for those who work in highly competitive industries like fashion or entertainment.
Facebook and Instagram join the Twitter bandwagon: now you can pay to be verified
However, others fear that this could allow unethical individuals or companies to gain false credibility simply because they have the resources to pay for verification. Payment verification could become a way to buy legitimacy, rather than earn it through hard work and authenticity.
It’s important to note that payment verification is only available in the United States at this time, and prices vary by platform. For example, on Instagram and Facebook for web, users will have to pay a fee of $11.99 to request verification, while Facebook and Instagram for app, the fee will be $14.99.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen how this will affect new payment verification policy to the credibility of Facebook and Instagram. While some users may be able to take advantage of this opportunity to establish their online reputation, it is important that verification remains a reliable indicator of online authenticity.
