Instagram is testing a feed that will only display posts from Meta Verified and legacy verified users, according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri. The new toggle will appear under the “Following” and “Favorites” options listed when you click on the Instagram logo in the app.
“We’re testing a way for people to explore their Instagram feed and reels by toggling to only Meta Verified accounts,” Mosseri wrote in his broadcast channel on Instagram. “We’re exploring this as a new control for people and as a way for businesses and creators to get discovered.”
The official announcement comes two months after Instagram told TechCrunch that it was not testing such a feature, after reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi found that the code in both the iOS and Android Instagram apps was showing a new feed filter that would display Meta Verified subscribers.
Instagram likely sees the new feed as a way to promote Meta Verified subscriptions and get people interested in signing up, as it is now offering them an opportunity for increased visibility. Meta Verified, which costs $11.99 per month on the web and $14.99 per month on mobile, gives users access to a blue checkmark, enhanced customer support, increased visibility and reach in search and comments, exclusive stickers and more.
Meta is clearly borrowing from Elon Musk’s playbook with the new Verified-only feed and with Meta Verified in general. After the Tesla CEO acquired Twitter (now X) last fall, the social network debuted paid verification for $8 per month through its revamped X Premium subscription service. The subscription gives users access to a variety of features, including a Verified tab in users’ Notifications. The service also includes other features like an edit button and support for longer posts.