Meta Platforms (META.O) announced on Sunday that it is testing a monthly subscription service called Meta Verified, which will allow users to verify their accounts with a government ID and receive a blue badge, with the goal of assisting content creators in growing and building communities.
The subscription bundle for Instagram and Facebook, which will be available later this week, will also include extra protection against impersonation and will cost $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 per month on Apple’s iOS and Android.
Meta Verified will be launched in Australia and New Zealand this week, with other countries following suit in stages.
Meta’s foray into subscription services follows Twitter’s announcement last month that Twitter Blue will cost $11 per month.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of the social media giant, previously stated that the company plans to launch several new products that will “empower creators to be way more productive and creative,” while cautioning about the cost of supporting the technology for a large user base.
Other social media apps, such as Snap Inc’s (SNAP.N) Snapchat and messaging app Telegram, launched paid subscription services as a new revenue source last year.
