Years after Facebook quietly removed a slogan that declared the site was “free and always will be”, parent company Meta on Sunday announced a paid-for subscription service that has already been widely criticized. Has gone
Meta is following a well-trodden path for subscription services, with rivals ranging from Reddit and Snapchat to Twitter and Discord already in play.
But critics raised deep concerns about the way Meta has chosen to structure its new offering, which will cost $11.99 for web or $14.99 for mobile.
The firm said customers will get a verification badge, additional protection against impersonation, direct access to customer support and more visibility.
Online security expert Kavya Pearlman was unimpressed with the idea of paying for security, which she said would create a “digital caste system” of the haves and have-nots.
“Safety and security features should not be for sale,” she tweeted, suggesting “friend bhai CEO” should be charging impersonators instead of squeezing money out of customers who have already paid with their personal data. We do.
The Real Facebook Oversight Board, a lobby group highly critical of Meta, tweeted: “Now Facebook wants you to fund the harmful model that fuels its entire business.”