Paid Meta Certification Program Launched in the US

The Meta Paid Certification Program is rolling out in the US, but Meta needs further development before expanding to other countries.

The Meta Paid Certification Program is now available in the US, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on his Instagram channel. According to Mark Zuckerberg, those who sign up for Meta Verified will receive a blue certification badge on Facebook and Instagram, “proactive identity theft protection,”and direct access to customer support.

Paid Meta Certification Program Launched in the US

The service costs $12/month online, or $15/month if you become a certified Meta member via iOS or Android, to offset the fees charged by Apple and Google for in-app purchases. You’ll also receive monthly stars to reward your favorite Facebook creators, as well as stickers for Stories and Reels.

Unlike Australia and New Zealand, certified subscribers residing in the US will not (yet) be eligible for increased visibility in certain app areas. “We’ve heard feedback from users that this aspect of the offering is currently causing some confusion, so we’ll take the time to look into the added value before considering expanding beyond Australia and New Zealand,”a Meta spokesperson told Engadget. Menlo Park explains that it is also considering adding other features to its Verified subscription while its program is being tested.

but Meta needs to finalize it before expanding it to other countries.

Meta launched the program in Australia and New Zealand last month. Verified differs from Twitter Blue, although users can pay for the blue tick and a number of other benefits in that Facebook and Instagram users must provide Meta with an official ID with the same name and the same photo as their account. They must also meet other eligibility criteria such as being 18 years of age or older and having two-factor authentication enabled.

Meta Verified subscribers cannot change their profile name or photo, username or date of birth unless they are ready to go through the entire certification process again. Important person accounts that were already verified prior to Meta Verified will retain their blue check mark.