Instagram Is Testing A Feed For Paid Verified Users Only

2023 appears to be the year of premium subscriptions for all social media platforms. A few weeks back, Elon Musk owned X (formerly Twitter) came out with paid verification through its X Premium subscription. Now, it seems that other social media platforms are also following the bandwagon. Meta recently introduced the Meta-verified program. Taking a hint from Elon Musk-owned X which charges users and gives them more controls, Instagram is also testing a feed that will only allow posts from paid verified users.

Earlier this year, several reports surfaced online regarding verified-only feeds. It was said that Meta is testing a new subscription service that would let Facebook and Instagram users pay for a verified account. Instagram head Adam Mosseri stated:

Unlike X, premium Meta users who shell out $11.99 on the web or $14.99 in iOS and Android apps, do not have numerous exclusive features. It seems that Meta is starting to change that and one of its efforts is the new feature Instagram is testing right now. The upcoming feature will offer a verified-only feed to give more visibility to businesses and creators.

The new feature will be visible as a toggle button under the “Following” & “Favorites” options. Moreover, it will show up when you tap the Instagram logo on the top of the app. This third option is named Meta Verified. It will change your feed to accounts that have the verification badge from Meta for paying the monthly subscription fee. It is pertinent to mention here that they do not have to be the accounts you follow. The algorithm will pick and choose accounts to show you their content based on your own preferences. The Meta Verified program costs $11.99 on the web and $14.99 on the app. It gives people a new way to try and appear more prominently in an Instagram feed. Mosseri motivates people to let him know if they are interested in using the new feed for verified users.

Some previous reports claim that Meta is planning to charge $14 for accessing an ad-free Instagram or Facebook in Europe where users will have the option to pay the fee or agree to see personalized ads. If users in Europe want to use both Instagram and Facebook, they can get the duo for $17 per month. On the other hand, all those who pay for the subscriptions would not see ads. However, Meta would continue to offer free versions of the apps with ads in the EU.