We Are Social’s Tuesday Tune Up

Tuneup

Paid-for verification comes to Facebook and Instagram

Meta is following in Twitter’s footsteps by offering paid-for verifications, available in Australia and New Zealand from this week and with other countries to follow “soon”. Currently available to individuals but not businesses, the subscription would give paying users a range of benefits, such a blue badge, increased visibility of posts, protection from impersonators and easier access to customer service. Meta said Instagram and Facebook usernames will have to match a government supplied ID document to be granted verification, and users will have to have a profile picture that includes their face.  

Twitter restricts SMS two-factor authentication to paying users

Only those who pay for Twitter Blue subscription will be able to use SMS-based two-factor authentication to secure their accounts on the platform. People have 30 days to turn off SMS-based 2FA and move to another option – however, critics have pointed out there are plenty of other, arguably more secure ways to protect your account, such as using an authenticator app or security key.

Roblox tests generative AI for in-game creation

Gaming giant Roblox is looking to accelerate the process of building and altering in-game objects by allowing AI to write the code. WIRED, which has seen a demo of the tool, reported that it would allow anyone playing Roblox to create items such as “buildings, terrain, and avatars; change the appearance and behavior of those things; and give them new interactive properties by typing what they want to achieve in natural language rather than complex code.”

TikTok launches revamped creator fund in beta

TikTok has announced the launch of a revamped creator fund called the ‘Creativity Program’, designed to help creators unlock more opportunities and make money from their content. Still in beta, many specific details are yet to be revealed but we do know that users need to be at least 18 years old and have an account in good standing to be eligible for the program. Currently it’s invite-only, with availability to all eligible creators coming soon. Creators will need to create high-quality, original videos that are longer than one minute to be considered.

Pinterest launches refreshed ‘Pinterest Academy’

Winning at Pinning – Pinterest has launched its refreshed Pinterest Academy learning resource, which includes a range of courses and insights. It includes a bigger focus on video (via Idea Pins) and all-new visual elements.