Twitter Inc. users with high profiles can now apply to have their accounts officially verified with a check mark as part of a revamped approval process meant to more clearly explain how and why people are verified.<\/p>\n
The social network\u2019s users can apply for the badge if they think they fall into one of the allotted categories — like sports, government or entertainment.<\/p>\n
Applicants must also be \u201cnotable\u201d and \u201crepresent or otherwise be associated with a prominently recognized individual or brand\u201d in order to be verified, Twitter said.<\/p>\n
The \u201cblue check mark\u201d — which appears next to a user\u2019s handle, and is actually a white check mark against a blue background — has long been used to distinguish well-known or corporate accounts from potential impostors.<\/p>\n
But there are only about 360,000 verified Twitter accounts, according to B Byrne, a Twitter product manager focused on verification.<\/p>\n
That exclusivity has turned the check mark into a status symbol of sorts on the service, and there previously has been no clear process for users to get one.<\/p>\n
That created issues when some verified users started breaking the company\u2019s rules, and Twitter voiced concerns that the check mark could appear as a company endorsement instead of an identification tool.<\/p>\n
Twitter formally halted all verifications in 2017, though it continued to verify some users behind the scenes, and updated its verification policy in December.<\/p>\n
Under the new rules, the San Francisco-based company will require that users confirm their identity, keep their account active and avoid rule violations.<\/p>\n
All applications will be reviewed by a human, and users can re-apply after a 30-day wait if they are denied. Verification will expand to other categories like academic and religious leaders later this year, the company said.<\/p>\n
Unlike Facebook Inc., Twitter has never required users to post using their true identity, a philosophy that has opened up the service to fake accounts and impersonation.<\/p>\n
Twitter executives said the company is looking into other ways to improve user profiles beyond verification. Beginning in July, Twitter will also start to label some bot accounts with a special \u201cautomated\u201d tag.<\/p>\n
The company is also considering expanding the amount of information people can share to their profiles, including adding their preferred pronouns.<\/p>\n
Adding more information to a user\u2019s profile will help people understand whom they are interacting with, company executives said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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