TheCable

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer (CEO) of Meta, says Facebook and Instagram users will start paying a monthly subscription fees of $11.99 to verify their accounts.

The new subscription service will first begin in Australia and New Zealand this week, Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post on Sunday.

He said subscribers to the service will get extra security on their accounts.

“This week we’re starting to roll out Meta Verified — a subscription service that lets you verify your account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, and get direct access to customer support,” Zuckerberg said.

“This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services. Meta Verified starts at $11.99/month on the web or $14.99/month on iOS. We’ll be rolling out in Australia and New Zealand this week and more countries soon.”

The revenue-generating move comes months after, Meta’s rival, Twitter launched an $8 monthly subscription service that includes a blue checkmark for subscribers.

Last year, Meta sacked more than 11,000 of its employees, representing about 13 percent of the total workforce.

The company said the decision would enable it to take “additional steps to become a leaner and more efficient company by cutting discretionary spending”.