Twitter users can apply to be verified
Social media company stops giving out blue check marks so it can revamp the process
Twitter users chasing that blue check mark can rejoice. After a more than three-year hiatus, the social media platform’s public verification process is back.
On Thursday morning, Twitter announced a new verification application program, shaped by public feedback that aims to bring clarity to the verification eligibility criteria.
Twitter shut down its verification application program in November 2017, following public outcry after the social media platform gave the coveted blue check mark badge to someone involved in organizing a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., months earlier.
At the time, Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey tweeted that the system was “broken.”
Twitter’s user support division tweeted at the time that verification was meant to authenticate accounts, but was being interpreted as an endorsement: “We recognize that we have created this confusion and need to resolve it.”
Twitter Canada’s head of communications. Cam Gordon. said the concept of Twitter verification has changed a lot since its inception, in part because public concept of who is considered a celebrity or notable person has also changed.
“It’s become many different things to many different people,” he said. “It’s sort of a sign of legitimacy.”
For years, Gordon said Twitter wasn’t great at communicating with users about the verification process and what it meant to be verified.
“That’s why we hit the emergency brake,” he said.
Twitter product lead B Byrne said in a media briefing that it’s important to have transparent criteria going forward, which had been one of the main complaints about verification.
“There is no perfect system,” he said, adding that verification helps “protect the public conversation from confusion and damaging impersonation.”
Twitter publicly shared a draft of the new criteria in November 2020, asking for public feedback, then published its updated criteria in December.
Starting Thursday, some users will be able to apply for verification, as part of a measured rollout to prevent a backlog of applications. (During the hiatus, some accounts have continued to be verified.)
Verification policy lead Sarah Husain said Twitter is committed to continue evolving and auditing the program.
“Over recent years, we weren’t very transparent or consistent about who we were verifying, and we heard from people that this process felt arbitrary or confusing.”
Andrea Conway, Twitter lead designer for identify and profiles, said in the briefing that Twitter is planning to improve Twitter profiles, by adding information fields. It will begin with pronouns.
Under the new criteria, a verified account must be in one of the following categories: government; companies, brands and organizations; news organizations and journalists; entertainment; sports and gaming; activists, organizers and other influential individuals.
Twitter says it has significantly expanded its verification team for the rollout of the feature
As well, accounts must have a profile name and image, as well as a confirmed email address or phone number, be active within the last six months and have a record of following Twitter’s rules within the past 12 months.
Twitter users can apply through their account and will see their blue badge automatically if they’re approved once their application is processed. If it’s denied, they can reapply 30 days after the decision.
Twitter is planning to introduce more categories later in 2021, including scientists, academics and religious leaders.
Byrne said that Twitter has significantly expanded its verification team for this rollout.
Twitter is also rolling out specific labels for political accounts, government accounts and state-affiliated media, and is working on labels for automated accounts and memorial accounts, among other account types.