Twitter is finally reopening its Verification Program, allowing users to register and get their own Verified button.
It's been speculated at and anticipated for years now. Finally, it seems that we have official confirmation from the developers themselves. While the reboot of the Verification Program had been announced since 2020, getting an exact timeline has proven difficult. Initially, users expected the program to start in early 2021, but then dates shifted upwards to a more indefinite period. Today, Twitter put up a blog post on their platform, revealing that the program was launching today! Even that news, however, may not have taken everyone off guard. Researcher Jane Manchun Wong had previously shared screenshots of the registration process, expecting the program to start up as soon as next week. It seems her information was dead on!
Well, the Verified Program fell by the wayside last time due to a growing concern over perceived celebrity elitism. That the Verified button was usually only seen attached to the likes of influencers and famous people, as opposed to actual experts from all walks of life, rubbed users the wrong way. They complained that it also created an unfair online bias, when opinions from Verified users were better trusted even if they held no relevant qualifications to back them up. Ultimately, Twitter relented and decided to come back with a revamped selection process. That is what we're looking at today.
To start off, accounts must fall under any of the following six categories to be considered eligible for verification. The six categories include: government; companies and brands; news organizations and journalists; entertainment; sports and gaming; and finally, activists, organizers, and other such influential individuals. It's a rather well-rounded start to the program, and could even see further additions down the line.
Users can apply for verification from their Account Settings tab, even though general applications haven't opened up quite just yet. Not to worry, they're only expected to be a few weeks away. Applications will all be evaluated by humans, and answered within a few days of submission. However, some more complicated cases can potentially open the timeline up for expansion to a week or so. If your application is accepted, well and good, you now have your blue tick-mark! If not, you may wait and re-apply after the span of 30 days.
Read next: Twitter claims its image cropping AI is not much unfair, yet it's still getting rid of it
It's been speculated at and anticipated for years now. Finally, it seems that we have official confirmation from the developers themselves. While the reboot of the Verification Program had been announced since 2020, getting an exact timeline has proven difficult. Initially, users expected the program to start in early 2021, but then dates shifted upwards to a more indefinite period. Today, Twitter put up a blog post on their platform, revealing that the program was launching today! Even that news, however, may not have taken everyone off guard. Researcher Jane Manchun Wong had previously shared screenshots of the registration process, expecting the program to start up as soon as next week. It seems her information was dead on!
Well, the Verified Program fell by the wayside last time due to a growing concern over perceived celebrity elitism. That the Verified button was usually only seen attached to the likes of influencers and famous people, as opposed to actual experts from all walks of life, rubbed users the wrong way. They complained that it also created an unfair online bias, when opinions from Verified users were better trusted even if they held no relevant qualifications to back them up. Ultimately, Twitter relented and decided to come back with a revamped selection process. That is what we're looking at today.
So we’re baaaaaaaaaack
— Twitter Verified (@verified) May 20, 2021
Follow us for all things blue badge on this bird app pic.twitter.com/EUI81qCrr7
To start off, accounts must fall under any of the following six categories to be considered eligible for verification. The six categories include: government; companies and brands; news organizations and journalists; entertainment; sports and gaming; and finally, activists, organizers, and other such influential individuals. It's a rather well-rounded start to the program, and could even see further additions down the line.
Users can apply for verification from their Account Settings tab, even though general applications haven't opened up quite just yet. Not to worry, they're only expected to be a few weeks away. Applications will all be evaluated by humans, and answered within a few days of submission. However, some more complicated cases can potentially open the timeline up for expansion to a week or so. If your application is accepted, well and good, you now have your blue tick-mark! If not, you may wait and re-apply after the span of 30 days.
Read next: Twitter claims its image cropping AI is not much unfair, yet it's still getting rid of it
