What does the verification update from Facebook and Instagram mean for users?

Over the past few months, Facebook has rolled out a number of updates to improve the verification process on Facebook and Instagram. In this blog, we explain what has changed and what that means for us. So do read on!

What is verification of your Facebook and Instagram accounts?

‘Verification’ is a tricky word, but its meaning isn’t complicated. Verification is about proving that you really are who you say you are. Feel free to read that sentence again. Verification is a way for users to confirm that the accounts they follow are indeed exactly the accounts they claim to be. This allows users to see which accounts are authentic and which are not. Verified accounts display a blue badge, so that users can see that the account has been vetted by Facebook. Following the update, applying for verification has become easier. Facebook now offers greater transparency regarding the requirements, which also apply to Instagram.

How do I verify my Facebook and Instagram accounts?

Now that you know what verification is and what it’s used for, we’ll explain how to do it. There are, in fact, certain requirements that a Facebook and Instagram account must meet in order to be verified.

Firstly, you must accept the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. In doing so, you must confirm the following:

• The account must represent a real person, a registered company or an entity.
• The account should reflect the unique identity of the person or company it represents. However, pets and publications are also perfectly acceptable.
• Only one account per person or per company can be verified, with the exception of language-specific accounts.
• The account must be public and include a profile photo, a bio, an ‘About’ section and at least one post.
• An account represents a well-known individual, brand or entity.

Greater diversity

Following the update, Facebook now also verifies accounts that appear in multiple reliable news sources. Promoted and paid content is not considered to be news sources. The social media company has added many news sources to create even greater diversity. Examples include media specifically focused on Black, LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities. However, Facebook emphasises that verification does not automatically mean that they endorse the account. The company strives to remain independent and impartial. If Facebook detects that verification is being misused, it will take action and malicious accounts will be removed from the social media platform.

With the verification update for Facebook and Instagram, Facebook is aiming to make accounts even more trustworthy. Users can now identify accounts more quickly and check whether they are dealing with an authentic account and content. And this only serves to improve the user experience.

Would you like to find out more about social media?

Would you like to find out more about social media and the opportunities for your business? Please get in touch with us, and we’ll bring you up to speed.