Meta has begun offering its paid verification service for Facebook and Instagram to Irish customers.
The service, called Meta Verified, is intended to establish the authenticity of creators and gives them access to a verified badge, get extra impersonation protection and direct access to customer support. It can be purchased through Instagram or Facebook for €16.99 on iOS and Android and €13.99 through a web browser.
[ Meta Verified: what does it mean? Opens in new window ]
Meta Verified has been tested in a number of global markets since it was announced in February by chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. The inclusion of Ireland in the verified markets is part of the product’s global expansion that was outlined last month.
The move follows Twitter’s introduction of its subscription service, Twitter Blue, but unlike Elon Musk’s service, there is no suggestion that Facebook and Instagram will require all currently verified accounts to pay a monthly fee to retain their status.
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Meta revenues have been hit by privacy changes made by Apple in 2021 that restricted its ability to track users’ internet activity, a key source of data for targeted ads. Meta said last February that the Apple change would cost it more than $10 billion in lost advertising income for 2022, about 8 per cent of its total revenue in 2021.
The company is now exploring new territory with the launch of Threads, a rival for Twitter which offers text-based conversations. The app launched in the US and the UK on Thursday, but has not yet appeared in the Irish Google Play or iOS App Store.
