Meta is dipping its toes in one of Twitter’s worst trends with a paid verification system on Instagram and Facebook. The new feature will allow users to get a blue checkmark for $11.99 a month on the website and $14.99 on the app. Paid users will get “extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, and get direct access to customer support,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in an announcement. They’ll also get 100 free stars—the currency you can use to pay creators on Facebook—and exclusive stickers to use on their stories. Meta Verified will only be available for users 18 and older with a government ID that matches the name and photo users use on their social media accounts. Unlike Twitter, Meta said they don’t plan to change the distinction of previously verified accounts. And if users want to change their name, username or even profile pic, they’ll have to go through the verification process all over again.
