Social media giant Meta has launched its ‘Meta Verified’ service in India, extending verification features for Facebook and Instagram accounts. The subscription bundle offers impersonation protection, government ID verification, and account support. Priced at INR 699/month for iOS and Android users, Meta aims to expand access and tap into India’s vast social media market.
Social media giant Meta has introduced its ‘Meta Verified’ service in India, following its successful rollout in several other countries. The subscription bundle offers verification features for Facebook and Instagram accounts, including protection against impersonation, government ID-based verification, and access to account support. The service is priced at INR 699 per month for iOS and Android users, covering both Instagram and Facebook profiles. Additionally, Meta plans to offer a web and mobile-based monthly subscription of INR 599 exclusively for Facebook users.
The announcement follows a pilot program in Australia and New Zealand, during which Meta made adjustments based on user feedback. The company aims to expand access to the verification badge and establish a long-term revenue stream, with the massive user base in India presenting an attractive opportunity.
Meta Verified has already been launched in the UK and Canada, and Brazil is expected to join soon. To be eligible for the service, users must meet various criteria, including being at least 18 years old and having a history of prior posting activity. Applicants will also need to submit a government ID matching their profile name and photo, and some may be required to provide a selfie video for authentication. Meta emphasizes its proactive monitoring for account impersonation after verification, pledging swift action against violators who attempt to evade the system.
While the rollout began on June 7, the service will become available to all eligible Indian users gradually over the next few weeks. Users interested in the INR 599 subscription will need to join a waitlist before they can access the upcoming service. Notably, businesses are currently unable to apply for Meta Verified, according to the company.
Meta’s introduction of the subscription model closely follows Twitter’s launch of its Twitter Blue service in India, priced at INR 900. Both companies aim to tap into India’s thriving social media market, which boasted 467 million users as of January 2023, making it one of the largest markets for these platforms.
