BEIJING Profits at China's industrial firms fell 6.7% in July from a year earlier, extending this year's slump

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 12, 2023--

SYDNEY The head of Australia's central bank on Thursday said the strong third-quarter inflation report was about where

Thailand’s new government is seeking to tighten control over the country’s nascent cannabis industry, taking steps to curb

JOHANNESBURG South African retail sales fell 1.4% year on year in May after declining by a revised 1.8%

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 6, 2023--

Costs in Russia's manufacturing sector rose for a third month in April, data from the state statistics service

North Korea claimed its first spy satellite, which was launched into orbit this month, has taken photos of

The hacking group suspected of cyberattacks against two giant casino operators has quickly made a name for itself

New ick unlocked: People are paying for blue ticks on Instagram. Avid Instagrammers will have noticed the surge of blue ticks taking over the platform, leaving people confused as to how their friend become an overnight internet sensation. As exciting as that would be, it's sadly not the case. Instead, people are using their hard-earned money for a blue badge. For the blissfully unaware, Instagram followed in the footsteps of Twitter recently by offering a monthly subscription service from £9.99 a month. Let's break this down: Public figures Instagram offer free blue tick verification to public figures including professionals, journalists, influencers, celebrities and brands who meet the platform's account and eligibility requirements. Their accounts must be authentic, unique, complete and notable, meaning they "must represent a well-known, highly searched for person, brand or entity". "We review accounts that are featured in multiple news sources, and we don't consider paid or sponsored media content as sources for review," Instagram said. Once verified, public figures, celebrities and brands that meet certain account and eligibility requirements may not change their username on their account – nor can it be transferred to a different account. On the flip side, there's 'Meta Verified', the new subscription model that allows any Instagram user to pay monthly for a tick. As it stands, Instagram has used the same colour and design for both paying users and notable figures, making it difficult for users to set the two apart. Whether or not they will make the two more identifiable in the future is unclear. Meta Verified / paying subscribers Now, anyone can apply to be verified using their ID and a spare £10 a month. Meta suggests it's to help people have more protection from impersonation and give them access to a "real person" if they encounter any issues. Indy100 reached out to Instagram for comment. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The Kansas City Royals are pushing back their self-imposed deadline of the end of September for deciding on a location for their new ballpark

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signalled Wednesday that he would let his new economic team hike interest rates to combat inflation and stabilise the lira...