Twitter is working to relaunch a new system for verifying its users. This new verification process will be made available by early next year.
The social networking giant used to add a ‘blue tick’ next to the names of verified users that were of ‘public interest’. However, the process was paused in 2017 after getting feedback that it felt arbitrary and confusing to many people.
“A year later, we deprioritised this work further to focus on protecting the integrity of the public conversation around critical moments like the 2020 US election,” Twitter said in a blog post.
The microblogging platform is now restarting the process and has asked the public to share feedback on a draft of its new verification policy starting November 24 up to December 8, 2020.
“We plan to relaunch verification, including a new public application process, in early 2021… (As) per the proposed policy, ‘the blue verified badge’ on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic,” the blog post added.
To receive the blue badge, the account must be “notable and active, Twitter noted.
The six types of accounts that have been identified include Government; Companies, Brands and Non- Profit Organisations; News; Entertainment; Sports; Activists, Organisers, and Other Influential Individuals.
Twitter said it intends to expand the categories and criteria for verification significantly over the next year. It said there is also a proposed criteria to automatically remove verification from an account, if the account is inactive or if the profile is incomplete.
The company can also deny or remove verification from certain qualified accounts that are found to be in repeated violation of the Twitter Rules.
“We recognise 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,” the blog post added.
“But the blue verified badge isn’t the only way we are planning to distinguish accounts on Twitter. Heading into 2021, we’re committed to giving people more ways to identify themselves, such as new account types and labels,” it said.
Earlier this year, Twitter verified accounts of medical experts tweeting about #COVID19. It also added account labels to identify candidates running for office.