The Kuntsevsky District Court of Moscow recognized the information about purchasing a verification badge on Instagram as "extremist" and banned two services that provide such services in Russia, "Verstka"** found in the court's records.
The services in question are RosMedia and Aura, the prosecutor's office saw "signs of financing extremist activities" in purchasing the badge.
"Providing services for verifying internet accounts on the social network Instagram, which is a product of the company Meta Platforms Inc., whose activities are banned due to extremist activities, by transferring funds for a paid subscription to Meta Verified has a criminogenic nature, and may contribute to financing an extremist organization," the court ruling states.
The blue badge on Instagram is a verification mark that confirms the authenticity of an account of a well-known person, brand, or organization, and also provides access to direct support. Users over 18 years old can purchase it through the Meta Verified subscription package for $15. Currently, verification is available for users in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the EU.
* The owner of Instagram Meta is recognized as an "extremist" organization in Russia.
** Recognized as a "foreign agent" in Russia.