Meta, the company behind social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, just announced that it will be introducing a paid verification program. This means that users will have the option to pay for a verification badge on their profile, indicating that their account is authentic and belongs to a real person or business. In this blog post, we’ll explore what this means for users and for the broader social media landscape.

First, let’s talk about what verification is and why it matters. Verification is the process of confirming the identity of an account holder on social media. This is typically done by the platform itself, and it involves verifying that the person or business behind the account is who they say they are. Verification is important because it helps users know that they’re interacting with legitimate accounts, rather than fake or impersonator accounts.

Until now, verification on most social media platforms has been free. Users could apply for verification and, if they met certain criteria, would be granted a verification badge at no cost. The criteria for verification varied by platform, but generally involved having a certain number of followers, being a public figure or celebrity, or being a notable brand or business.

With Meta’s new paid verification program, things will be different. Users will still have to apply for verification, but instead of being granted the badge for free, they’ll have to pay a fee. The service will launch in Australia and New Zeland and will start at $11.99 a month on the web or $14.99 a month on iOS.

“This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services,” Zuckerberg wrote in an Instagram broadcast channel.

So what are the implications of this new program? On the one hand, it could be seen as a positive development. By charging for verification, Meta is likely to reduce the number of fake or impersonator accounts on its platforms. After all, it’s much harder for scammers to justify paying a fee to create a fake account than it is for them to create a free account. In addition, paid verification could make it easier for legitimate accounts to stand out in a sea of fakes.

On the other hand, there are some potential downsides to this new program. For one, it could create a two-tiered system on social media, where only those who can afford to pay for verification are seen as legitimate. This could be particularly problematic for smaller businesses or individuals who don’t have the resources to pay for verification. Additionally, it’s possible that some users may feel that paid verification is just another way for social media companies to extract money from them.

It’s also worth noting that Meta’s paid verification program is not without precedent. Twitter, for example, has had a paid verification program in place for a few years now. However, the fact that Meta is introducing paid verification on such a large scale – across all its platforms – is likely to have a much bigger impact.

In conclusion, Meta’s new paid verification program is a significant development for social media. While it could help to reduce the number of fake or impersonator accounts, it’s also likely to be controversial. It remains to be seen how users will respond to the program, and whether it will be successful in its goals of improving trust and authenticity on social media.