Meta launches paid subscription for apps in Australia, New Zealand

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Feb 2023 11:07

Meta CEO claims the new feature is aimed at increasing authenticity and security.

Small figurines as seen in front of displayed Meta logo in this illustration taken February 11, 2022 (Reuters)

Facebook and Instagram launched their first paid verification service on Friday in Australia and New Zealand, testing the users' readiness to pay for social media features, which have always been free until now.

The service launched in Australia and New Zealand before appearing in large markets as a start. It will cost US$11.99 for web users and US$14.99 for iOS and Android mobile users.

Ever since the launch, subscribers in said countries who provide Meta with government-issued IDs are able to apply for the verification, which will include several extra features, including increased visibility, protection against impersonation, and direct access to customer support.

Meta plans to gradually roll out access to verified Facebook and Instagram accounts and expects to reach a full 100% availability within the first week of its launch. However, weirdly enough, some users in Sydney reported their inability to subscribe to the service as it was unavailable on the first day of its rollout.

"This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a statement posted on Facebook and Instagram.

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According to experts, subscribers of this feature will most likely be content creators and influencers who make living online. This is a way by which Meta can mine more revenue from its two billion users.

Jonathon Hutchinson, a lecturer in online communication at the University of Sydney, referred to this service as a "VIP" and might be valuable for a content creator.

Naturally, since Meta already makes vast sums from users' data, many were skeptical to pay for this service.

Ainsley Jade, a 35-year-old social media user in Sydney, views this service as a way to put your whole life on social media, emphasizing that people are moving in that direction more and more. She added that she would definitely not pay for it.

Some were confused as to why Facebook and Instagram would launch such a service shortly after their rival, Twitter, did the same only weeks ago which did not reach extraordinary results.

Hutchinson indicated Meta's willingness to try new and risky models are times and sometimes ends up dropping features that do not work.

"I think it's part of a slow-burning strategy to move toward a model that is not free, where more and more services and functionality will be a paid or subscription-based service," he told AFP.

"I think over the long-term the functionality that we have now -- joining groups, selling things on 'Marketplace'- all of these add-ons that have emerged on Facebook over the years will eventually become subscription-based services."