Meta Launches Free Facebook Verified Badge to Confirm Real Users and Fight AI Fake Profiles

Meta has introduced Facebook Verified, a free badge that verifies personal Facebook profiles using selfie video verification. Here's how it works, who is eligible, and how it differs from Meta Verified.

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With AI-generated and online profiles becoming increasingly common, Meta has launched a new tool for its Facebook users to identify real people from among them. The tech giant has announced Facebook Verified – a free-of-cost verification badge which will ensure that a Facebook account belongs to a human being and not an AI-generated or fake one.

This system of verification differs from the current paid Meta Verified program in that it is purely meant to verify the identity of a user. This will enable eligible users to verify themselves using a video of themselves.

The newly introduced Verified Badge of Facebook uses a very basic self-image verification process. The user needs to take a video selfie and Meta verifies the same against the images present in their Facebook profile. If there is a match along with the user satisfying the eligibility criteria of the platform, the badge is assigned.

As per the statement made by Meta, this process does not involve any kind of cost and is expected to be completed in a matter of a few minutes. The feature has been created in such a way that it becomes convenient for the users to identify genuine users from fakes and artificial accounts without the need for a subscription.

Not every Facebook account will qualify for the new badge. Meta has introduced several eligibility requirements to ensure that only trustworthy and authentic users receive verification.

To be eligible, users must:

• Be at least 18 years old.

• Have a Facebook account in good standing.

• Comply with Meta's Community Standards, particularly those related to fraud, scams, impersonation, and deceptive behavior.

• Show no signs of inauthentic or suspicious activity.

Interestingly, Meta has confirmed that the free Facebook Verified badge is available only for personal Facebook profiles. It is not supported for Facebook Pages or Professional Mode (ProMode) accounts, making it a feature aimed at everyday users instead of creators, influencers, or businesses.

Once a user successfully completes verification, the Facebook Verified badge will automatically appear across several parts of the platform. Initially, verified users will see the badge displayed on:

• Facebook Profile

• Facebook Marketplace

• Facebook Groups

• Facebook Dating

Meta also revealed that support for displaying the badge on Feed posts will be added in a future update, further increasing visibility and helping users identify authentic profiles while browsing content.

The verification only needs to be completed once, after which the badge will carry across supported Facebook experiences.

Facebook Verified is not the same thing as Meta Verified. Facebook has made it clear that there should not be any confusion regarding Facebook Verified and Meta’s subscription service.

Meta Verified is a paid subscription service that provides some extra features like protection against impersonators, customer support, and many others along with the verification feature.

On the other hand, Facebook Verified is absolutely free and deals with verification only. This means that there will be no extra services in Facebook Verified.

This is happening amid the rise of AI-generated content and fake identities on various social media platforms. This includes deepfake, AI-generated profile pictures, and identity frauds which have made it harder for users to establish whether or not they are communicating with real individuals.

Through launching this badge which will enable users to verify their account as real, Meta hopes to increase the level of trust among users of Facebook and eliminate the number of fake accounts on the platform. The firm is confident that the use of this badge will make users safer when purchasing items on Marketplace, joining groups or even when dating on Facebook Dating.

Facebook Verified is currently being rolled out gradually by Meta from selected locations. According to the company, accessibility to this feature will gradually increase to more countries as it gets to more people around the globe. In case this feature is unavailable to you currently, you can expect it during the subsequent rollouts.

Introduction of Facebook Verified is an attempt made by Meta to enhance the authenticity on their social platform without making any payment from the users. Through the use of self-video verification method and restrictions for the account being only personal, the firm expects to increase the ease of verifying real users while minimizing the effect of fake and AI-based profiles. The introduction of this new feature will go a long way in building confidence in Facebook.