Stephen: Instagram, Facebook to add paid verification

Instagram and Facebook users will now be able to pay for a blue tick verification, parent company Meta has announced. Meta Verified will cost $11.99 (£9.96) a month on web, or $14.99 for iPhone users. According to BBC, Meta Verified will be available in Australia and New Zealand this week. The move comes after Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, implemented a paid-for verification system in November 2022. Meta’s paid subscription service is not yet available for businesses, but any individual can pay for verification. Badges, or “blue ticks”, have been used as verification tools for high-profile accounts to signify their authenticity.