Meta is testing letting users on Instagram and Facebook pay to be officially verified, after Twitter rolled out a similar feature under Elon Musk’s ownership last year. Meta’s implementation will only be available in Australia and New Zealand to start, and will require people to submit a government ID to get their blue badges. Let’s hope it doesn’t face the same impersonation problems that Twitter encountered when its service originally launched last year.
That’s not to say that Twitter’s paid subscription offering isn’t facing controversies of its own. Over the weekend it emerged that Musk’s social media network is removing the option of using SMS for two-factor authentication for non-paying users. Yes, SMS is considered to be the less secure way of using 2FA, but it’s convenient and better than no 2FA at all, so it’s sad to see it disappear behind a paywall.
And finally, for those keeping track, today is the day that Nothing, Forever’s Twitch suspension is set to lift. The AI-generated Seinfeld spoof was in the process of going viral before being taken down after one of its characters made a transphobic remark, but its creators hope to bring it back with more safeguards against inappropriate content in place.
Now, here’s a silly tweet to start your day:
Stay tuned, as we continue to update this list with the most important news of today: Monday, February 20th, 2023.
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Emma Roth