The technology company Meta, which manages the social networks Facebook and Instagram, introduced the subscription service Meta Verified, which costs up to EUR 15 per month. The new feature will allow users to verify their identity. What changes will it bring?
“Every Facebook and Instagram user who buys a subscription will be able to get a blue badge of trust next to their account that confirms their identity. It will not only mean that the profile is managed by a specific person, but will also provide several benefits, for example, it will ensure greater visibility on social media. in the network,” says Martynas Vrubliauskas of “Bites Profas” in a press release.
Another opportunity for trolls?
Company CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, announcing the new subscription, emphasized that this service aims to increase reliability and security in social networks managed by Meta.
“These changes in the popular Facebook and Instagram social networks are reminiscent of the Twitter scandal that took place at the end of last year. After the announcement of the similar profile verification function, “trolls” began to multiply massively, who began to use the blue trust mark to verify fake profiles, thus further misleading users and spreading falsehoods. Impersonating the official accounts of well-known companies, “trolls” caused the company’s shares to collapse and financial losses. It remains to be seen how the manager of Facebook and Instagram will block the way to a similar situation”, thinks M. Vrubliauskas.
Every tenth Lithuanian soc. uses a fake profile in networks, revealed the study “Use of Social Networks in Lithuania 2022”, commissioned by “Bites Profų”. “If Facebook and Instagram decided to remove all fake accounts, there would simply be no need for Meta Verified,” adds the smart device expert.
According to M. Vrubliauskas, the verification badge is designed to identify reliable and official accounts, so it should help content creators establish a connection with the audience and grow it. Companies or organizations that have purchased a subscription will get direct access to the platform’s customer service system and greater protection against online fraudsters and intruders. .
Almost 15 euros each month
The expert on smart devices emphasizes that only people who have submitted personal identification cards will be able to purchase the subscription, and the price of the service for a month on devices supporting the iOS and Android operating systems is 15 euros.
“At the moment, the service being tested – the confirmation badge – can be purchased on the Facebook and Instagram platforms only by users in New Zealand and Australia, but in the near future the development of the service is planned worldwide, including in Lithuania,” says the smart device expert.
