“It’s free and always will be,” reads Facebook’s signup page. But that may need an asterisk: It’s free as long as it doesn’t involve messaging someone really popular. That could cost you $15.

Today, several news organizations reported that the site is now rolling out paid messaging in the U.K. and thirty-six other countries. It appears, however, that it is has already been happening here in the United States, and with higher prices than anyone expected.

Facebook started a pilot program last December to charge users a dollar to send messages to strangers (this functionality used to be free). If users choose not to pay, their messages go to the somewhat hidden “other” mailbox.

Tinker they did. Without announcement, Facebook upped the price for some messages to $5 and even $15. “At the time of announcing the test we let people know we would be testing a variety of prices,” Facebook said. “The highest price we are currently testing in the US is $15, but this is still a test and these prices are not set in stone. We have tested a range of different prices so far.”
“The system of paying to message non-friends in their inbox is designed to prevent spam while acknowledging that sometimes you might want to hear from people outside your immediate social circle,” Facebook said in a statement to the Sunday Times, quoted also by The Telegraph.

“We are testing a number of price points in the UK and other countries to establish the optimal fee that signals importance.”

http://demipost.com/facebook-is-charging-15-to-message-popular-celebrities/