11 votes

Meta launching paid subscription service for Facebook, Instagram

14 comments

  1. Jedi
    Link

    Meta Platforms Inc. is launching a paid subscription service that enables users to verify their accounts with government identification and receive direct access to customer support.

    The service will cost $11.99 a month for Facebook and Instagram accounts that sign up from a web browser, or $14.99 a month for subscriptions through devices running Android and Apple Inc.’s iOS system, according to Meta. Tests of the service will begin in Australia and New Zealand this week. 

    In the coming months, the company expects it to roll out in the U.S. and eventually other markets, according to the spokesperson.

    7 votes
  2. elcuello
    Link
    This is great and this might finally push me to delete both.

    This is great and this might finally push me to delete both.

    3 votes
  3. [5]
    streblo
    Link
    This kind of seems a bit extortionist to me. “We’re not going to police people impersonating corporate accounts on our platform so pay this subscription fee if you want to stay on our platform and...

    This kind of seems a bit extortionist to me.

    “We’re not going to police people impersonating corporate accounts on our platform so pay this subscription fee if you want to stay on our platform and not be subject to some impersonation scandal.”

    It’s definitely free revenue. I don’t think this pushes anyone off the platform or anything and most big accounts will probably pay? But it still seems kinda short sighted and arm-twisty?

    3 votes
    1. stu2b50
      Link Parent
      Another way to see is just aligning interest properly. Moderation and things like background or ID checking is something that takes manpower, and that costs money. The prior state of platforms...

      Another way to see is just aligning interest properly. Moderation and things like background or ID checking is something that takes manpower, and that costs money. The prior state of platforms trying their best to be absolutely generous and seamless to grow their platform causes issues wherein demand can't be met with supply, and you have to be lucky, or know-a-guy-who-knows-a-guy to be verified.

      By having businesses pay for it, a proper business relationship and contract is established where the business gives FB money, and FB provides a service. The prospect of gaining additional money gives incentive for FB to further increase the resourcing available for verification.

      7 votes
    2. [3]
      skybrian
      Link Parent
      We don't know what "more protection from impersonation" consists of, but it makes sense that if you show ID then that's useful for figuring out that some other accounts are imposters. On the other...

      We don't know what "more protection from impersonation" consists of, but it makes sense that if you show ID then that's useful for figuring out that some other accounts are imposters.

      On the other hand, many people don't want to be verified. The name on government ID is not the name they want to use. I should think that, on Tildes, we understand this?

      The price is higher than it needs to be, considering that Stripe charges $1.50 to check photo ID, and you don't have to do it every month. On the other hand, it's a trivial business expense. So this seems like market segmentation, a way to get some customers to pay more.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        EgoEimi
        Link Parent
        I think that depends. I want to be anonymous on Tildes, Reddit, and other forums so I can discuss ideas freely. But I want myself and others to be identified on Facebook, which I primarily use for...

        On the other hand, many people don't want to be verified. The name on government ID is not the name they want to use. I should think that, on Tildes, we understand this?

        I think that depends.

        I want to be anonymous on Tildes, Reddit, and other forums so I can discuss ideas freely. But I want myself and others to be identified on Facebook, which I primarily use for Marketplace and Groups. I always research a potential buyer/seller to minimize risk to myself. Knowing that someone's account is tied to their real identity would be another point of reassurance for me.

        6 votes
        1. mtset
          Link Parent
          I mean, the real issue is that someone's government ID might not reflect their real identity - they might be trans, for example, and unable to change their name or gender marker on their ID for...

          I mean, the real issue is that someone's government ID might not reflect their real identity - they might be trans, for example, and unable to change their name or gender marker on their ID for various reasons, or they might just go by a nickname or middle name in their everyday life. This kind of system rarely handles those cases well.

          2 votes
  4. [7]
    0x29A
    Link
    The only benefit is verification? Not that I'd ever pay for either of these services, but if they removed ads and suggested posts/groups, allowed more permanent views/ordering of information, and...

    The only benefit is verification? Not that I'd ever pay for either of these services, but if they removed ads and suggested posts/groups, allowed more permanent views/ordering of information, and various other benefits that remove some of the site's user-hostility, at least the price would make a modicum of sense

    1 vote
    1. [6]
      skybrian
      Link Parent
      My guess is that it’s not really intended for ordinary users, or not yet anyway. There are lots of businesses on Facebook and they probably care more about verification? Also celebrities and maybe...

      My guess is that it’s not really intended for ordinary users, or not yet anyway. There are lots of businesses on Facebook and they probably care more about verification? Also celebrities and maybe influencers on Instagram, who are sort of like businesses.

      6 votes
      1. [4]
        AugustusFerdinand
        Link Parent
        $12-15/month for a business/influencer to have direct access to customer support so that a post they make that gets flagged for spam/TOS breaking can be immediately restored is a small price to pay.

        $12-15/month for a business/influencer to have direct access to customer support so that a post they make that gets flagged for spam/TOS breaking can be immediately restored is a small price to pay.

        6 votes
        1. [3]
          Bullmaestro
          Link Parent
          $12 - $15 so that you can make a fake pharmaceutical company account, announce that a life-saving drug will be free and end up plummeting the stock price. Because if Zuckerberg implements this...

          $12 - $15 so that you can make a fake pharmaceutical company account, announce that a life-saving drug will be free and end up plummeting the stock price.

          Because if Zuckerberg implements this anywhere near as hapazardly as Elon Musk did to Twitter, he's got lawsuits on his hands.

          3 votes
          1. skybrian
            (edited )
            Link Parent
            I was wondering why the SEC didn't go after that guy. Seems it was a parody account and he didn't expect that to happen. (If he had actually shorted the stock, the SEC probably would go after...

            I was wondering why the SEC didn't go after that guy. Seems it was a parody account and he didn't expect that to happen.

            I threw the word ‘parody’ into the bio — at the time, that was in complete compliance with Twitter’s rules around parody — and wrote out a tweet so absurd that no pharmaceutical company would ever actually tweet it: “We are excited to announce insulin is free now”

            (If he had actually shorted the stock, the SEC probably would go after him.)

            The rules for Facebook are stricter:

            For $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 per month on Apple and Android operating systems, Meta will use a government identification to verify a user’s account and give the account a blue badge. Previously, Meta’s blue badges were free and reserved for notable public figures or businesses.

            Facebook may have been the "move fast and break things" company at one time but that was long ago. That's what Musk does now.

            3 votes
          2. AugustusFerdinand
            Link Parent
            So what you're saying is I should make a fake pharmaceutical company account, announce that a life-saving drug will be free and end up plummeting the stock price, buy the stock by the boatload,...

            So what you're saying is I should make a fake pharmaceutical company account, announce that a life-saving drug will be free and end up plummeting the stock price, buy the stock by the boatload, delete the account, let the company fix the fall out, and retire early?

            Mostly joking.

            That's unlikely to work again and it only "plummeted" 4.5% before recovering. However, Eli Lilly's stock has been plummeting for other reasons ever since it recovered from that stunt.

            1 vote
      2. 0x29A
        Link Parent
        Ah, that's a good point, basically any entity like that (essentially any "Brand" I guess), that they know is willing to pay a small fee to be verified. Makes sense. Easy money too, I suppose.

        Ah, that's a good point, basically any entity like that (essentially any "Brand" I guess), that they know is willing to pay a small fee to be verified. Makes sense. Easy money too, I suppose.

        2 votes