On Friday (24), Meta launched a paid subscription to Facebook and Instagram in Australia and New Zealand, countries that will serve as a test for this new verification service, which has been free on these social networks so far.

Facebook and Instagram launch paid subscriptions in Australia and New Zealand – Photo: Getty Images/ND

Faced with falling ad revenue, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram has piloted this paid subscription in these ocean countries before rolling it out to other markets. The service will cost $11.99 (R$61.60) online and $14.99 (R$77.01) on iOS and Android mobile platforms.

Starting Friday, users in these countries who present their ID documents can request a seal to guarantee their authenticity and get more anti-forgery protection, direct access to customer service and more visibility, according to Meta.

“We are slowly rolling out access to Meta Verified on Facebook and Instagram and expect 100% availability within the first seven days of launch,” a company spokesperson told AFP.

Meta Verified was not available in Sydney on the first day of launch after several attempts to access the service.

“This new tool attempts to increase the authenticity and security of our services,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement posted on those social media platforms.

It will also allow Meta to generate new revenue from its 2 billion users.

Experts believe that the army of content creators, influencers and celebrities who depend on these networks may be the main users of this service, as many complain about the difficulties in resolving technical and administrative problems.

Jonathon Hutchinson, a professor of digital communications at the University of Sydney, believes this “VIP service” could be “a value proposition for a content creator.”

But before the launch, mainstream users seemed less than enthusiastic. “I think most of my friends will laugh at this,” said Ainsley Jade, a 35-year-old user from Sydney. “I definitely wouldn’t pay for it at all,” he added.

Some analysts were also surprised that Meta adopted a verification service weeks after rival Twitter did the same with lower-than-expected results.

According to AFP.