[ad_1]
Meta Launches New Meta Verified Program in the US
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has recently announced that its new Meta Verified program is now available for users in the United States.
With the program, American users can purchase a blue checkmark on Facebook or Instagram for $US11.99 per month on the web or $US14.99 in-app, accounting for respective App Store charges.
Meta Verified Program Requirements
The Meta Verified program requires users to provide photo IDs to prove their identity. Once the element is approved, you can sign-up for the program, which comes with several benefits, including:
- A verification tick on Facebook or IG
- Proactive account protection from impersonation
- Dedicated account support from Meta’s team
- Exclusive stickers for Facebook and Instagram Stories and Facebook Reels
- 100 Stars a month to allocate to other creators on Facebook
Note that users would have to sign-up separately on each platform to get checkmarks on each, thus paying at least $US23.98 per month to get a blue checkmark in both apps or $US287.76 per annum to buy the perception of credibility.
Exclusivity Issues
One concern about the Meta Verified program, along with Twitter’s Blue subscription package, is that selling the blue checkmark devalues it immediately, removing the only thing that makes it valuable – exclusivity. The dilution of the blue tick’s value takes place with every new person who signs up to the program.
While Twitter is making an extra $2.4 million per month through Twitter Blue subscriptions so far, the exclusivity factor of the blue checkmark’s value is gradually eroding due to over-subscription.
Meta and Twitter’s Financial Situation
Meta has been suffering a revenue shortfall due to the global economic downturn, which has forced the company to cut staff and shelve various projects. These changes are happening to redirect its priorities. Recently, Meta announced that it would eliminate another 10,000 roles in addition to the 11,000 it culled last November to reduce its ongoing obligations.
The Meta Verified program, however, could provide the company with the extra cash it needs, particularly as some users have been eager to get the blue tick on their accounts for years.
Questionable Approval Process
The qualification and approval process for a blue checkmark has been confusing for a long time, with the possibility of people getting verified ticks without necessarily being who they claim to be. There are also various reports of Meta and Twitter staffers approving friends‘ accounts and taking under-the-table payments for verification ticks.
Thus, as the system may be already broken, both companies may see selling the blue checkmarks as a profitable venture, despite the potential dilution of the checkmark’s value.
Conclusion
The Meta Verified program is now available to US users, and many are expected to sign up despite concerns about dilution of the checkmark’s exclusivity. The program offers several valuable benefits, including increased account protection and in-person support from Meta’s staff.
However, the question over the program’s effectiveness remains open, particularly with the dilution of the blue tick’s value making it a less valuable offering, which may impact the number of users willing to continue subscribing in the future.
Only time will tell whether the program will be as successful as both platforms hope, but it is undoubtedly a step in a new, somewhat controversial direction.