Social Media Is Changing – and Paid Accounts Are the Response
Monthly fees for Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat are not for ordinary users — they’re for the professionals who’ve taken over the feeds
The take machine went into high gear last week after Meta said it would charge $11.99 per month for verification and added customer service. This was the end of free social media, some said. It was Facebook’s unimaginative copy of Elon Musk’s Twitter. Or perhaps a mob-like shakedown for protection money.
The reactions all missed the underlying shift behind the move: Social media feeds, once filled with content from ordinary users, are now programmed primarily by professional creators. These creators need identity verification, customer service and visibility boosting. And they’re willing to pay. Meta is simply filling the need.
Monthly fees for Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat are not for ordinary users — they’re for the professionals who’ve taken over the feeds
The take machine went into high gear last week after Meta said it would charge $11.99 per month for verification and added customer service. This was the end of free social media, some said. It was Facebook’s unimaginative copy of Elon Musk’s Twitter. Or perhaps a mob-like shakedown for protection money.
The reactions all missed the underlying shift behind the move: Social media feeds, once filled with content from ordinary users, are now programmed primarily by professional creators. These creators need identity verification, customer service and visibility boosting. And they’re willing to pay. Meta is simply filling the need.