No, Facebook hasn’t suddenly become paid, as many viral publications have been falsely claiming for years. But it is now possible to subscribe to a subscription with the Meta group to have your account certified on the social network and on Instagram.
Announced at the end of February and tested in Australia and New Zealand initially, the “Meta Verified” offer has been being rolled out in new markets for several days. Solicited by RTL, the American technology group confirms the gradual arrival of the option for French users.
As the option is being rolled out, not all French users have access to it yet. Some are only offered to register on the waiting list to wait.
From 13.99 to 16.99 euros per month
Like the Twitter Blue formula launched by Elon Musk on the rival social network, Mark Zuckerberg’s group intends to allow the more than 2 billion users of Facebook and Instagram to obtain a blue badge to take advantage of a certain number of exclusive options.
The French price is set at 13.99 euros per month, for a Web subscription, and at 16.99 euros for a mobile subscription, Meta passing on the costs applied by the application stores. Note that it is currently necessary to subscribe to a subscription per platform. A Meta Verified subscription for Facebook is not automatically valid for the associated Instagram account. On the other hand, the certification of an Instagram account is transferred to Threads, the new social network linked to Instagram. A version of Meta Verified offering verification to Facebook and Instagram is under consideration.
The device, reserved for those over 18, is subject to the registration of an official identity document corresponding to the name and photo appearing on the account, the sending of a video selfie and the activation double authentication. Once the profile verification has been completed, it is no longer possible to change their username or date of birth without having to perform the account verification again.
A guarantee of authenticity and protections against identity theft
Meta promotes Meta Verified as a way to establish a presence on Facebook and Instagram and benefit from proactive account protections, including direct access to account support. Meta thus promises to guarantee the authenticity of the accounts and to protect them against identity theft. The group also evokes the possibility of reaching a wider audience thanks to better visibility in comments, searches and recommendations.
At this stage, the offer is only offered to individuals. It is mainly aimed at creators concerned about guaranteeing the authenticity of their account with their community. Meta confirms to RTL that the accounts of public figures, companies and brands previously certified through the free verification process will not lose their blue badge. But the company is exploring the possibility of introducing a verification offer for businesses in the future.
The use of paid subscriptions observed in recent months in the world of social networks marks a major break in the philosophy of the platforms. After having implemented significant means to capture the widest possible audience, the latter now wish to generate new sources of revenue to cope with the decline in their advertising revenues in the unfavorable economic climate of recent months.
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