Meta Verified was introduced in February and the service offers Instagram and Facebook users coveted verified blue tick marks.
American tech major Meta announced on Wednesday that its subscription service called Meta Verified is now available to iOS and Android users in India for a monthly charge of Rs 699. Meta Verified for Web will be made available in the coming months for a monthly subscription charge of Rs 599.
“We’re expanding our test of Meta Verified to India after seeing good results from our early testing in several countries globally. We’ll also continue honoring verified badges that were granted previously based on existing criteria,” the social media company said in a blog. “Meta Verified is available for direct purchase on Instagram or Facebook in India starting today,” Meta added.
With Meta Verified, Indian creators will get a verified badge, more protection from impersonation, and help with common account issues. Meta’s support service for the verified users is currently available in English language but the company plans to include Hindi in the coming months.
The subscription cost for a verified Instagram and Facebook account is lower than speculated Rs 1,450 per month for iOS and Android mobile phone users in India. The web plan is also lower than the anticipated Rs 1,099 in the country. Meta says those interested in buying the service on the web can sign up to the waitlist through the Facebook web Account Center to be informed when web purchasing is available. Elsewhere, for users in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, the service cost $11.99 (around Rs 990) on the web and $14.99 (around Rs 1,240) on iOS and Android devices.
To recall, Meta rolled out Meta Verified in February and it offers Instagram and Facebook users coveted verified blue tick marks, similar to that of Twitter Blue. The feature will help creators establish their presence, while verified accounts will be protected from impersonation and would get access to increased visibility and support. Unlike Twitter Blue, Meta will first verify users’ accounts using a government id and then provide the verification badge.
Some subscribers might have to submit a selfie video as part of the authentication process, Meta said yesterday. Furthermore, the rollout of Meta Verified has begun in India and the service will be made available to everyone who meets the eligibility criteria over the next few weeks, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp added.
Businesses are not yet eligible to apply for Meta Verified at the moment. Only users above 18 years of age can apply for verification using a government ID that matches the profile name and photo of the Facebook or Instagram account they are applying for.
Meanwhile, American microblogging platform Twitter was the first company to start charging for verified accounts. The premium subscription offering introduced in November 2022 by the Elon Musk-owned company is called Twitter Blue. The company launched Twitter Blue with the view of growing revenue, and the move came at a time when the social media company fought to retain advertisers after Musk bought the platform for $44 billion last year.
In India, the monthly Twitter Blue subscription costs Rs 650 for the web and Rs 900 each for Android and iOS devices. Twitter charges Rs 6,800 for a yearly subscription.
