Facebook has started testing a system that lets users pay to highlight or promote posts.
By paying a small fee users can ensure that information they post on the social network is more visible to friends, family and colleagues.
The tests are being carried out among the social network’s users in New Zealand. Facebook said the goal was to see if users were interested in paying to flag up their information.
The tests of the “pay to promote” system were discovered by a Facebook user in Whangarei, reported New Zealand’s news magazine Stuff.
At first, said Stuff, the user thought the offer to pay to promote a post was a con trick.
A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to the BBC the offer was genuine.
“We’re constantly testing new features across the site,” said the spokesperson. “This particular test is simply to gauge people’s interest in this method of sharing with their friends.”
Different methods of highlighting posts were being tested, said the spokesperson. These would see a range of charges being levied to make posts more visible. Comments on the tests suggest the highest price being charged was £1.25 ($2) while others cost 25p or 50p.
