In May, Twitter relaunched its verification program. Although it’s still rolling out for all users, the company is now giving more clarification about how the process works following some criticism from users.
When the verification program reopened, Twitter focused on several key factors when deciding whether to verify someone. The social network said that in order to be verified, the user needs to be notable, authentic, and active because this is what other users expect from these kinds of accounts.
The account also needs to have a complete profile, which means you need to have a profile name, a profile image, and either a confirmed email address or phone number to be verified.
As for now, here are six categories listed below that are qualified for verification:
- Government
- Companies, brands, and organizations
- News organizations and journalists
- Entertainment
- Sports and gaming
- Activists, organizers, and other influential individuals
In a thread posted yesterday, Twitter explained a bit more about how the process works. For example, if a user is denied the blue badge, he needs to wait another 30 days to re-request, although the company didn’t explain why the badge was denied. Starting now, Twitter will also send an email giving more context on why requests don’t meet its criteria.
Here are other factors the company explained:
- Authenticity: If you’re using a website to verify your authenticity, it must be the website for a Verified organization. The website must also reference your name and Twitter account;
- Follower count: For any company/brand/organization and those applying as an activist/influential individual, your follower count must be in the top .05% of active accounts located in the same geographic region;
- Journalists: Your Twitter profile must reference the news org you’re affiliated with and link to its official website. The news org(s) you reference must be a notable, Verified organization as listed in Twitter’s policy.
For journalists, in the application, they must link to their specific about page/bio, or to articles that reference them on the news org’s official site. Independent or freelance journalists must provide links to 3 articles in Verified publications in the 6 months before applying.
Twitter says it will also add more guidelines within the application program and “will continue to listen to your feedback to improve our policy and the application process.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments