If you thrive on Twitter, then you must know the importance of “blue ticks” alongside the profile details of an individual. For an influencer or a public figure, a blue tick is a mark of public importance and one needs to have it in order to build a loyal fanbase. Twitter closed its public verification system in 2017 but starting in early 2021, it is bringing back the blue ticks for all users. Except for this time, Twitter wants to do it in the right way.
In a recent blog post, Twitter says it will start taking applications for the “blue tick” verification of accounts in early 2021. The company has updated the guidelines that its users need to follow in order to get the blue tick badge. The new guidelines also ensure that Twitter can take away verification badges from pre-verified accounts if they no longer meet the new criteria.
Twitter blue ticks coming back
Back in 2017, Twitter stopped awarding the blue tick seal of verification to Twitter users after the controversial verification of a white supremacist. While the company did continue to award verification badges to some users in the middle, it will now open the process to public. Twitter has laid down the eligibility criteria for people to apply for the process. Twitter says,“the blue verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic. To receive the blue badge, your account must be notable and active.”
The six types of accounts Twitter has already started identify are:
1. Government
2. Companies, Brands and Non- Profit Organizations
3. News
4. Entertainment
5. Sports
6. Activists, Organizers, and Other Influential Individuals
Additionally, Twitter is also accepting feedback for users on drafting the new verification policy, You can submit your feedback starting today and the process will last until December 8, 2020.
Blue ticks could go away for many
While Twitter is initiating a new public process for awarding blue ticks, it is also considering removing some of them. “We’ve also added proposed criteria to automatically remove verification from an account if, for example, it’s inactive or if the profile is incomplete, as well as grounds to deny or remove verification from certain qualified accounts that are found to be in repeated violation of the Twitter Rules. We recognize that there are many verified accounts on Twitter who should not be.”
“We plan to start by automatically removing badges from accounts that are inactive or have incomplete profiles to help streamline our work and to expand this to include additional types of accounts over the course of 2021,” says Twitter in its blog.
Apart from blue ticks, Twitter will also start awarding labels to help users identify themselves on the platform. “Heading into 2021, we’re committed to giving people more ways to identify themselves, such as new account types and labels. We’ll share more in the coming weeks.”
