Following the implementation of a comparable system at Twitter under Elon Musk, new references in Instagram’s code indicate the company may be developing a paid verification feature. A developer has found that recently found code snippets specifically mention a “paid blue badge” and a new subscription service.
The same reference can be found in the most recent version of the Facebook app, suggesting that paid verification might be made available on all of Meta’s platforms in the future. Developer and reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi made the discovery. Paluzzi has previously identified several new Instagram features before their public debut, including the in-app scheduling tool that went live in November and the more recent QR code sharing features.
Instagram usually responds to inquiries about its smaller tests or prototypes, but in the case of the paid verification option, the business opted not to respond.
Read More: Is Instagram considering paid verification? Code reveals references to a ‘paid blue badge’
