Meta Launches Free "Facebook Verified" Badge to Combat AI-Generated Fake Accounts
Meta has introduced a free "Facebook Verified" badge for personal accounts, allowing users to verify their identity by recording a video selfie. The feature is designed to confirm that the account owner is a real person rather than an AI-generated bot. As AI-generated profiles become increasingly realistic and common, this free verification tool helps users establish trust and authenticity on the platform. It provides a barrier against identity theft and automated scams without requiring a paid subscription like Meta Verified. The verification is restricted to personal accounts of users aged 18 and older with no history of fraud, and the badge will display on profiles, groups, and Marketplace. Alongside this, Meta also launched "Seller," a dedicated app for Facebook Marketplace power users to manage listings and inventory.
## BACKGROUND
Video selfie verification typically uses liveness detection to ensure a real person is recording the video rather than using a pre-recorded clip or deepfake. This technology is increasingly adopted by major tech companies like Google and dating apps like Hinge to secure user accounts. Facebook's Professional Mode, which is excluded from this free verification, is a setting that allows creators to access professional tools on their personal profiles.