Instagram Introduces Paid Subscription Service Pilot Program

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Instagram is piloting a subscription service that allows users to pay a fee to enjoy certain creators' stories or live broadcasts.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 19th (local time) that "Instagram has piloted a subscription model targeting a small number of creators in the United States and plans to gradually expand its scope."

Going forward, content for paid subscribers will be marked with a purple badge for prominent visibility. Paid subscribers' names will also display a purple badge so creators can identify whether someone is subscribed.

Subscription fees will vary depending on duration and format, ranging from $0.99 (1,179 KRW) to $99.99 (119,000 KRW) with various options available.

Facebook, a subsidiary of Meta, also piloted a similar subscription model last year. Twitter has been running a similar paid subscription model called "Super Follow" since September last year.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, stated, "Creators work to make a living, so predictability is important," adding, "Subscriptions are the best way to make revenue predictable. We will not charge any fees to creators until 2023."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.