Announced about six months ago, the Facebook Application Verification Program has been criticized by some who fear it will unfairly benefit developers who have the money to pay the annual review fee.

Facebook has responded to the criticism by saying the program is optional, and that its goal is to help developers who want to stress their applications are trustworthy and to help Facebook members who need extra reassurance before installing an application.

The program is launching with an initial batch of 120 verified applications. Benefits for these applications include a badge highlighting their special status, priority ranking in the application directory and the right to send out more notifications to end users. Developers also get credits and discounts for advertising on the site.

Facebook charges US$375 to review each application. If an application earns the verification badge, the certification is good for 12 months, after which developers must pay another $375 for their application to be reviewed again.

To earn the badge, applications must provide what Facebook considers a "trustworthy" user experience. "Users of Verified Apps can feel confident that these applications strive to be transparent about how they work and respect social expectations between friends," Facebook said in its official announcement Wednesday.