Twitter has tweeted out that it would “pause general verifications” for some time. The general verifications being the blue tick which is meant to denote the authenticity of an account.
Twitter.
The micro-blogging website believes that the blue badge is being used for endorsements and to imply one's importance, which according to them is contrary to its intention.
The social networking site was the first such platform which gave users, especially celebrities and companies, the option to verify their accounts. Eventually, governments and world leaders have become quite proactive on Twitter. Often they use the platform to reach out to their followers and also at times to make official announcements.
Verification was meant to authenticate identity & voice but it is interpreted as an endorsement or an indicator of importance. We recognize that we have created this confusion and need to resolve it. We have paused all general verifications while we work and will report back soon
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 9, 2017
At a time when Twitter is facing the problem of fake news with respect to the US presidential elections, verified accounts are quite helpful. Twitter’s reason to pause the process of verification itself seems quite absurd since, in its additional information section, it asks the prospective users for a reason to verify them. By its very nature, verified accounts on Twitter get the blue tick, only after Twitter has verified the said accounts on multiple parameters. One of the parameters for evaluation is to “understand their impact in their field”. The second coordinate is to understand the prospective verified user’s “newsworthiness” or whether he or she is relevant or not. Meanwhile, Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO has tweeted in response.
We should’ve communicated faster on this (yesterday): our agents have been following our verification policy correctly, but we realized some time ago the system is broken and needs to be reconsidered. And we failed by not doing anything about it. Working now to fix faster. https://t.co/wVbfYJntHj — jack (@jack) November 9, 2017
Twitter had introduced this idea of the blue tick in 2009, which was eventually followed by other social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
The blue tick over the years has been a mark of authenticity for many people and is often an easier way to increase ones following.
Published Date: Nov 10, 2017 11:52 am | Updated Date: Nov 10, 2017 01:01 pm
