According to a tweet from the official Twitter account, Twitter will start to remove “legacy” blue checkmarks for users on April 1.
According to Twitter, the old verification system was outdated and inconsistent. CEO of Twitter, Elon Musk, stated that the old verification system was based on a set of criteria that were not clear or transparent to users. Some people got verified for being famous or influential, while others got verified for being journalists or activists. Some people got verified for no apparent reason at all.
Twitter said that they want to make verification more meaningful and accessible to everyone. They want to verify users based on their identity and contribution to the public conversation, not on their popularity or status. They also want to give users more control over their verification status and how it appears on their profile.
The company is encouraging users to sign up for Twitter Blue which it just launched worldwide. Twitter Blue requires users to apply for verification through a form on the Twitter website or app. Users have to provide some basic information about themselves, such as their name, location, and category of interest. They also have to prove their identity by uploading a photo of their ID card or passport.
Twitter said that they will review each application manually and verify users who meet their new criteria. They said that they will prioritize users who are at risk of impersonation or harassment, such as public figures, journalists, activists, and experts in various fields. They also said that they will verify users who have a significant and authentic presence on Twitter.
The new verification system also comes with some changes in how the blue checkmark appears on profiles. Users can choose whether they want to display their checkmark next to their name or next to their username. They can also choose whether they want to hide their checkmark from other users or not.
Twitter said that these changes are part of their effort to improve the health and quality of the conversation on their platform. They said that they hope that the new verification system will encourage more people to join Twitter and share their voices with the world.
Catch up on news and other tidbits on our WhatsApp Community Page, Twitter/X, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any news.
