Instagram, the widely popular photo-sharing platform, is said to be exploring the possibility of offering a paid verification service to its users. This was revealed by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who found code in the app referencing the “IG_NME_PAID_BLUE_BADGE_IDV” and “FB_NME_PAID_BLUE_BADGE_IDV,” which is said to indicate a “paid blue badge” for identity verification purposes.

(as per the reference code above, IG & FB stands for Instagram and Facebook. IDV, as TechCrunch notes, is a known acronym for “identity verification.”)

This move follows Twitter‘s launch of its paid subscription service, Twitter Blue, which offers users the ability to access a verified checkmark for a monthly fee of $8 to $11. However, Twitter’s implementation of paid verification was plagued with issues, as the company failed to put in place safeguards to prevent impersonation by random users.

Suppose Instagram does go ahead with its plans for a paid verification service. In that case, it will need to learn from Twitter’s mistakes and ensure that the verification process is secure and authentic. With the current difficulties in obtaining a blue badge on Instagram, a paid verification service may attract users willing to pay to have their identity confirmed on the platform.

It’s worth mentioning that the developer also discovered code referencing a new type of subscription, though its connection to paid verification is still unclear. Instagram has declined to comment on Paluzzi’s discovery, so the speculation of a paid verification service remains just that – speculation.

Instagram’s potential introduction of a paid verification service is a bold move that has the potential to revolutionize the platform’s verification process. However, it will also come with its own set of challenges that the company must overcome if it wants to succeed where Twitter failed.