Instagram introduced verified account badges in 2014.
The blue badge was created to help users distinguish authentic accounts from impersonators. It was mainly associated with public figures, celebrities, major brands, and other accounts considered notable or significant to the public.
A common mix-up is 2018: that was the year Instagram began letting eligible users submit verification requests through the app. The badge system itself came earlier, in December 2014, when verification was generally initiated by Instagram rather than requested by users.
Verification has changed since then. Instagram later introduced paid verification options through Meta Verified, but that subscription-based system is separate from the original notoriety-based badge program. The badge has therefore represented different routes to verification at different points in Instagram’s history.