In another case of Instagram doing things no one asked for, the company will begin testing a feed that allows users only to view people or brands with a blue check.
The new interface will show Meta Verified users, meaning those who paid the subscription fee for their blue check, and legacy verified users who went through the previous free approval process. Whenever the Instagram logo in the upper left corner of the app is tapped, the new toggle will show up under the “Following” and “Favorites” tabs.
“We’re testing a way for people to explore their Instagram feed and reels by toggling to only Meta Verified accounts. We’re exploring this as a new control for people and as a way for businesses and creators to get discovered,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed earlier this week.
The timing of the test is interesting, considering that Instagram previously shot down any talks of a verified-only view. It’s unclear exactly why Instagram decided to introduce the new feed. However, much like Twitter, the app may be searching for a way to bring in more revenue, and highlighting verified accounts may motivate others to subscribe to Meta Verified, Tech Crunch points out.
Currently, Meta Verified is $11.99 for the website version and $14.99 for the app. In addition to the famous blue check, being verified helps drive more traffic to a user’s profile.
It’s still being determined how long the test will go on before Instagram decides to implement it permanently. However, this will likely be dependent upon how many IG consumers actually use it.
