Instagram explores copying Twitter paid verification

Instagram is reportedly considering the option of offering paid verification to its users, according to code seen by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.

The developer shared screenshots from the app's code with TechCrunch, which reveal lines indicating "paid blue badge" and "identity verification." These lines, along with the reference to Facebook (FB) and Instagram (IG), suggest that the social media platform may be contemplating offering paid verification across platforms.

The developer also discovered code related to a new type of subscription, although its connection to paid verification is unclear. Twitter Blue, a subscription service that costs $8 to $11 per month, already offers its users a verified checkmark and experimental features.

Paid verification was one of the first initiatives introduced by Elon Musk when he took over Twitter, but it was met with a poor response due to the lack of safeguards against impersonation.