US-based microblogging platform Twitter has stated that the users can now apply to have their accounts officially verified with a check mark as part of a revised approval process that explains how and why people are verified more clearly.
As per the statement, users on the social media platform can apply for the badge if they belong to the designated categories, such as sports, government, or entertainment. “Applicants must also be “notable” and “represent or otherwise be associated with a prominently recognized individual or brand” in order to be verified,” Twitter said.
The “blue check mark”, a white check mark against a blue backdrop that appears next to a user’s handle, has long been used to differentiate well-known or corporate accounts from potential impostors. But there are only about 360,000 verified Twitter accounts, according to B Byrne, a Twitter product manager focused on verification.
The check mark has become a status symbol on the service as a result of its exclusivity, and there was previously no straightforward procedure for users to obtain one. When some authenticated users began violating the company’s laws, this caused problems, and Twitter expressed fears that the check mark might be mistaken for a company endorsement rather than an identification tool.
Twitter formally halted all verifications in 2017, though it continued to verify some users behind the scenes, and updated its verification policy in December.
Users must confirm their identity, keep their accounts active, and prevent rule violations under the new regulations, according to the San Francisco-based company. All applications will be checked by a person, and users who are rejected can reapply after a 30-day delay.
As per the company, it is looking into other ways to improve user-profiles beyond verification. Twitter will start labeling certain bot accounts with a special “automated” tag starting in July. And later this year, the company plans to extend verification to other groups such as academics and religious leaders.
