Most, if not all of the social media platforms present today, offer a blue checkmark to accounts they verify as authentic. If you were gearing up to send your application for verification as a tweep of notable influence on the Twitter timeline, I have some not-so-good news to deliver.
Barely a week into re-opening their verification program and inviting applications from Twitter users, the company is pausing the process once more. According to their Twitter Verified account, there has been an influx of applications and the social media giant would like to take a break from accepting more requests until they are done with the current batch.
It only took one “wrong” account getting verified in 2017 for Twitter to go back to the drawing board and put new measures ensuring they do not verify just anyone.
There had been intense rage and criticism from users after the company verified the account of a white supremacist.
Statements from both the Twitter support team and CEO Jack Dorsey at that time portrayed a verification system that was broken and needed urgent fixing.
After a break of a few years, Twitter came back on May 20th re-launching the program but with new guidelines in place. Their information page states that for you to receive the blue badge, your account must hit three sweet spots; be authentic, notable, and active.
In their new system, notable accounts are in six categories: government; companies, brands, and organizations; news organizations and journalists; entertainment; sports and gaming; and activists, organizers, and other influential individuals.
“These verification guidelines are intended to encourage healthy conversations for the betterment of the Twitter community overall. They follow the philosophy to lead by example, Tweet others how they want to be Tweeted, and serve the public conversation authentically, respectfully, and with consideration.” Read part of the statement in their blog.
They are also automatically removing the verified badge from accounts that no longer meet the updated criteria for verification, such as those that are inactive or incomplete
At the moment, Twitter has paused the verification program 8 days into receiving volumes of applications from users many of whom had probably been waiting and preparing for a long time.
As they re-imagine and continue to tweak the verification process, we hope it does not once again slide back being a measure of importance or endorsement.
Twitter is yet to announce when the verification program will be back again.
