Getting the blue tick on Twitter felt incredibly random and those who wanted it to prove their accounts were real, often struggled to gain the attention of @verified to achieve that. Thankfully Twitter are now changing how accounts get verified and are making it a simple and easy process.
Today, Twitter began rolling out a new verification application process. After several months of work to bring clarity to the verification eligibility criteria, and launch a new policy, it’s finally time to launch it.
Before we get into how to get verified, you should know that you can also lose it as well and Twitter has started enforcing that policy by automatically removing the verified badge from accounts that no longer meet the updated criteria for verification, such as those that are inactive or incomplete.
Today’s changes to the Verification process aims to give more transparency, credibility and clarity to verified accounts on Twitter. This means more users will be verified and when you see the blue tick, you can be sure it’s the real identity behind the account.
How did @techAU get verified?
Let’s start with the techAU story. After first joining Twitter back in 2008, Tweetdeck quickly became a staple on a second monitor and the Twitter app had pride of place on my smartphone’s home screen.
Post content primarily focused on technology, but on a Monday night, was focused on #qanda, the political show on ABC that was one of the first to integrate tweets into the show. Tweets using the hashtag #qanda would often get highlighted into the lower third and was done live as to respond to the comments from the panel members.
As topics like the NBN became political conversation, #qanda became a platform for tech journalists to converge and debate the different approaches to Australia’s largest infrastructure project.
Without warning, I remember the afternoon where @techAU and a range of Aussie journalists were verified all at once. While I thankfully don’t fight impersonation accounts, it is a real issue on the platform, so having a robust verification and trust technique is great for the platform.
What it means to be verified on Twitter
The blue badge is one of the ways we help people distinguish the authenticity of accounts that are of high public interest. It gives people on Twitter more context about who they’re having conversations with so they can determine if it’s trustworthy, which our research has shown leads to healthier, more informed conversations.
Today, Twitter also introduced new guidelines for verified accounts on Twitter. These verification guidelines are designed to encourage healthy conversations for the betterment of the Twitter community overall.
They follow the philosophy to lead by example, Tweet others how they want to be Tweeted, and serve the public conversation authentically, respectfully and with consideration.
As always, all accounts, including verified accounts, must follow the Twitter Rules. And as previously shared, verified accounts that repeatedly violate the Twitter Rules are subject to have the blue badge removed.
Are you eligible to be verified?
To qualify for verification, you must fit the criteria of one of the six categories listed below:
- 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 our verification policy, your account must be complete, meaning you have a profile name, a profile image and either a confirmed email address or phone number.
Your 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 verification policy as well.
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. If you don’t see this update immediately today, don’t worry! We’re gradually rolling it out to everyone to ensure that we can review applications in a timely manner.
Here’s what the application flow will look like:
Once you submit your application, you can expect an emailed response from Twitter within a few days, but this could take up to a few weeks depending on how many open applications are in our queue.
If your application is approved, you’ll see the blue badge automatically on your profile. If you think Twitter made a mistake, reapply 30 days after receiving our decision on your application.
What’s next
Obviously all kinds of people and brands will want to be verified on Twitter, so there will be more categories added later this year, such as for scientists, academics, and religious leaders. To stay up-to-date with verification, be sure to follow @Verified.
Twitter says that since their last update, they’ve been doing ongoing research on automated accounts and plan to introduce this account type in the next few months, with memorialized accounts to follow. Facebook has had this for a while and will be a great addition to the platform, allowing those that pass to be remembered forever.
Twitter profile will also see some improvements helping people better express themselves, like through an About page.