Journalists and publications will be able to gain extra credibility on Twitter as the social media platform has opened up its account verification process to all users.
The blue badge icon, also known as the “blue tick” denotes that a user has been authenticated by Twitter as a key individual or organisation of public interest was previously only given out by administrators.
Now anyone with an account can apply for verification through an online application form, provided their account is of public interest.
The badge is widely viewed as a marker of credibility by Twitter users.
A number of publications have already had their accounts verified, but some, as well as a number of high-profile journalists, have been missed out in what appeared to be quite a random selection process.
The change in Twitter’s protocol comes after Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones was exposed to abuse on the platform, prompting her to leave it.
Right-wing journalist Milo Yiannopoulos was banned by Twitter yesterday after he posted messages seen as encouraging harassment against the Hollywood actress.
There are certain prerequisites before a verification request form can be submitted. These include that the account has:
- A verified phone number
- A confirmed email address
- A bio
- A profile photo
- A header photo
- A birthday (for accounts that are not company, brand, or organization accounts)
- A website
- Tweets set as public in Tweet privacy settings
Other advice from Twitter about verified accounts includes:
- If the account belongs to a person, the name reflects the real or stage name of the person
- If the account is a corporation or company account, the name reflects the real name of the corporation or company
- The profile and/or header photo reflects the person, the corporation’s branding, or the company’s branding
- If the account is a corporate or company account, the email address associated with the account is a corporate or company email address.
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