Twitter's coveted blue ticks are making a comeback next year along with new account types and labels

• The social networking giant Twitter is revamping its process of verifying accounts for the coveted blue check-mark badge.
• The new policy identifies the terms and conditions under which an account can be deemed eligible for verification, outlined by six categories.
• The company is also planning on introducing new account types and labels in the coming year.
  

Twitter’s verification of accounts and the doling of the coveted blue ticks is ready for relaunch after three years of being on standby.

"Since then, we haven't been clear about who can become verified and when, why an account might be unverified, or what it means to be verified," Twitter said in its blog post.

The company revealed that it is revamping its policy on how it will issue the blue check-mark badges used to identify prominent accounts and let the public at large know of its authenticity.

But that’s not the only change they have planned for next year. The social networking behemoth that has often been criticized for not doing enough against misinformation and fake news also plans to introduce new account types and labels in 2021.

“We’ll share more in the coming weeks. This is just the beginning of what we have planned for 2021,” it said.

Anyone than meets the requirements can apply for Twitter’s blue badge
The new verification program that will be put into place starting next year will also include a new public application process. This means anyone who meets the parameters will be eligible to apply for verification.

Twitter has identified six types of accounts that can be verified:

• Government
• Companies, brands and non-profit organisations
• News
• Entertainment
• Sports
• Activists, organisation, and other influential individuals
  

Each type of account has its own terms and conditions for eligibility. Companies and brands, for instance, need to be listed on a public stock exchange, have three or more featured references in the last six months and have a follower count that’s in top 0.1% of its region as per the proposed guidelines.

“Twitter reserves the right to deny or revoke verification to accounts that met any of the following criteria through artificial or inauthentic activity,” the new policy points out.

Accounts that aren’t eligible under any circumstances
While it’s possible for accounts outside of the six categories outlined by Twitter to apply for a blue badge, certain accounts won’t be eligible at all.

• Parody, newsfeed, commentary and fan accounts
• Pets and fictional characters unless related to a verified account
• Accounts violating Twitter’s manipulation and spam policy
• Accounts associated with coordinated harmful activity or hateful content
  

Users can lose their blue badge too
While the parameters of how users can be verified have changed, Twitter has also outlined how some accounts may lose their tick mark to make the process more ‘equitable’.

This can occur when an account has been inactive for long or if the profile is incomplete. It can also happen if there is sufficient evidence of a particular account not adhering to Twitter’s rules.

Active use is defined as having logged into the account within the last six months.

“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 company said.

Twitter has opened up the new policy to public feedback for suggestions and objections till December 8. The company aims to roll out the final policy by December 17.

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