Meta Verified badge arrives to India, starts from Rs 699

NEW DELHI: Meta on Wednesday brought its verified subscription bundle on Instagram and Facebook to India that includes a verified badge that authenticates accounts with government ID, proactive account protection and access to account support.

Meta Verified is available for purchase on Instagram or Facebook in India via a monthly subscription for Rs 699 on iOS and Android. In the coming months, the company will also introduce a web purchase option for Rs 599 a month.

“We’ll also retain the verified badge for accounts that were verified before the introduction of Meta Verified,” the social network said in a statement.

With Meta Verified in India, you will get a verified badge, confirming you’re the real you and that your account has been authenticated with a government ID.

The users will also get “more protection from impersonation with proactive account monitoring for impersonators who might target people with growing online audiences”.

It will also help users for common account issues. At the moment, support is available in English only, but it will be extended to include Hindi as well in the coming months, said the company.

“We want to build a subscription offering that’s valuable to everyone, including creators, businesses, and our community at large. As part of this vision, we are evolving the meaning of verified accounts on our apps,” said the company.

To be eligible, accounts must meet minimum activity requirements, such as prior posting history, and applicants must be at least 18 years old.

“Applicants are then required to submit a government ID that matches the profile name and photo of the Facebook or Instagram account they’re applying for,” the company added.

Meta Verified subscriptions will include proactive monitoring for account impersonation.Businesses are not eligible to apply for Meta Verified at this time.