Twitter on Thursday announced that it is relaunching its verification application process, which adds the “blue verified badge” to the user’s Twitter account.
The blue verified badge helps people distinguish the authenticity of accounts that are of high public interest. It gives people on Twitter more context about who they are having conversations with so they can determine if it’s trustworthy.
For those unaware, Twitter had suspended its public verification program in 2017 following public outrage over the verification of a prolific white supremacist.
“We’re excited to share that starting today, we’ll begin rolling out our new verification application process and reviewing public applications for verification on Twitter,” the popular micro-blogging site said in a blog post on Thursday.
“Today’s application rollout marks the next milestone in our plans to give more transparency, credibility, and clarity to verification on Twitter.”
Twitter pointed out that it has also started automatically removing the verified badge from accounts that no longer meet the updated criteria for verification, such as those that are inactive or incomplete.
With the application launch, the company is introducing new guidelines for verified accounts on Twitter. These verification guidelines are intended to encourage healthy conversations for the betterment of the Twitter community overall.
As always, all accounts, including verified accounts, must follow the Twitter Rules. Also, verified accounts that repeatedly violate the Twitter Rules are subject to have the blue badge removed.
To qualify for verification, users must fall into one of the following categories:
- Government
- Companies, brands, and organizations
- News organizations and journalists
- Entertainment
- Sports and gaming
- Activists, organizers, and other influential individuals
In addition to the category-specific eligibility criteria outlined in Twitter’s verification policy, the user’s account must be complete with a profile name, a profile image and either a confirmed email address or phone number.
The user’s account must also be active within the last six months and have a record of adherence to the Twitter Rules. You can read more about ineligible accounts in the policy.
How Can You Apply To Get Verified?
Over the next few weeks, everyone on Twitter will start to see the new verification application directly in the Account Settings tab. The company will be gradually rolling it out to everyone to ensure that Twitter can review applications in a timely manner.
Once you submit your application, you can expect an emailed response from Twitter within a few days, which could also take up to a few weeks depending on how many open applications are in their queue.
If your application is approved, you will see the blue badge automatically on your profile. If you think the company has made a mistake, you can reapply 30 days after receiving Twitter’s decision on your application.
The current verification policy does not represent all of the people who should be eligible to be verified on Twitter.
Therefore, the company is planning to introduce “more categories later this year, such as those for scientists, academics, and religious leaders.”
Twitter also shared that they plan to introduce a way to denote automated accounts in the next few months, with memorialized accounts to follow.
The company is also exploring improvements to allow people to update their Twitter profiles through an “About” page.
“We look forward to continuing our work to give people more ways to identify and express themselves on Twitter to lead to more informed, healthier conversations,” the blog post concluded.
