Meta is starting a new experiment on Facebook by charging users $12 to verify their accounts. The move comes after a rough year for Meta marked by massive losses and employee frustration regarding the company’s efforts in developing the metaverse, a platform that has received a large amount of criticism since it was first announced in 2021. 

The new subscription model

The new subscription model is being rolled out in Australia and New Zealand first to determine its effectiveness and to see how many users are actually willing to sign up for the new service. It will require users to submit an official government ID to prove their profiles are real.

The benefits of the subscription seem dull, to say the least. Users who pay for the verification will receive additional support from Facebook in shutting down fake accounts that are impersonating verified users. While this could help high-profile users, it does suggest that security and safety on the platform will now require an upfront payment, reducing confidence that Facebook is establishing a safe environment for users. 

Following Twitter’s example

The new subscription plans mirror a similar verification process introduced by Twitter following Elon Musk’s purchase of the company. However, that process has been heavily criticized as meaningless, with many fake accounts opening up following its rollout to prove the absurdity of the plan. 

Since then, a tiered verification process has been in development with different colored badges being created to suggest different levels of verification for users. Further additions to the plan also include an alleged upcoming feature that will remove two-factor authentication for users who do not purchase the verification which could result in massive security issues on the platform. 

If Meta is looking to Twitter as an example of how to run their business, copying the paid verification plan might not be the best decision as it is creating a lot more problems than solutions at Twitter which is still struggling to remain profitable after Musk’s acquisition, and Meta is not in a better financial situation. 

Is this good for the metaverse?

Compounding the issue further is the massive lack of interest in the Metaverse. In fact, opinions of the metaverse have only gotten worse since it was first announced in 2021, especially after the massive collapse of the crypto and NFT markets in 2022. 

The Metaverse, which will incorporate NFT and blockchain technology, is nowhere near completion and has looked awful in its current state. If Meta wants to improve the public perception of this platform, charging users for verification might not be the correct solution. 

Bluesky

Concurrently, it appears a new social media competitor is in the mix. Jack Dorsey, a strong proponent of decentralization and cryptocurrency, has made headlines lately about his new platform called Bluesky which is similar to Twitter and already in closed beta. 

Although details about the platform’s decentralized nature are not fully available yet, it appears that Bluesky will follow DAO principles by letting users determine who can and cannot be banned from the platform following heavy debates over the banning of President Trump on Twitter. 

With Meta and Twitter both making decisions that are driving users away, the possibility for Bluesky to step in its place as a more reliable and enjoyable platform that does not require absurd charges for basic security could be a massive success.