Facebook's got a new 'Verified' badge to give you in exchange for a selfie

Facebook's got a new way to stop scammers on its platform: A "Verified" badge that every real human can get for free.

In a blog post published Friday, Facebook explained that the primary reason for the move is AI, which "makes it easier to generate content, profiles, and messages."

To make it easier to tell which is which, Facebook Verified is a badge that any user can obtain by going through the process of recording a short video selfie. Facebook then checks whether it matches your existing profile photos, which should take just a few minutes.

There are a few caveats, though. The badge is available for users 18 years and older who are in good standing with the company's Community Standards, which means they should not be flagged for fraud, scams, and deceptive practices, and should exhibit no evidence for inauthentic behavior (check out Meta's policy on that here).

Also, the badge is not available for Pages or ProMode accounts.

At first, the badge will only show in places where "it matters most," which means Marketplace, Dating, Groups, and Profile. Facebook says it'll add badges in Feed posts "over time."

The Facebook Verified program will be rolled out in phases starting in "select markets," but Facebook plans to expand it globally.

One of the key points of Facebook Verified is that it's free. In 2023, Facebook's parent Meta introduced "Meta Verified," a paid subscription bundle that included verification, similar to the post-Elon Musk checkmark on X.