Twitter Reopens Account Verification

Twitter Revives Account Verification Process

Twitter has once more initiated its account verification procedure, as announced on Monday evening via a post on its Twitter Verified account. This account serves as the official source for updates regarding the system's operational status.

Since the launch of the redesigned verification program earlier this spring, Twitter encountered several obstacles. These issues necessitated multiple temporary suspensions of the verification process.

Previous Pauses and Improvements

The most recent suspension was declared on August 13th. At that time, the company stated a need for enhancements to both the application submission process and the account review procedures.

A History of Verification Challenges

Account verifications have presented ongoing difficulties for Twitter throughout the years. The highly sought-after blue badge was previously awarded to prominent individuals and accounts of significant public interest.

These accounts were required to demonstrate confirmation of their stated identities, encompassing figures such as government officials, journalists, celebrities, brands, businesses, and other notable personalities.

The Perception of Elevated Status

However, the original intent of verifying account authenticity evolved in perception. Many began to view badge holders as possessing a certain level of enhanced status within the platform.

This issue reached a critical point in 2017 when Twitter verified the account of Jason Keller, the organizer of the tragic white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Temporary Suspension and Continued Verification

Following this incident, Twitter officially paused verifications. Despite this, the company continued to discreetly verify select individuals, including political candidates, elected officials, journalists, and others.

Reboot and New Rules in 2021

In May 2021, Twitter relaunched the system, asserting that it had been completely rebuilt and would be managed by a dedicated team.

New guidelines were also implemented, clearly outlining the criteria for verification requests and explicitly defining ineligible accounts.

Overwhelming Demand and Temporary Pauses

The demand for verification proved overwhelming, forcing Twitter to temporarily halt the process just eight days after its launch. This pause allowed the team to address the backlog of applications.

Further Adjustments in August

After resuming, Twitter again suspended the system in August, citing the need for additional time to refine the process. The effectiveness of verifications at this point was unclear.

Social media analyst Matt Navarra highlighted an incident where Twitter inadvertently verified a fraudulent account representing Rockstar Games.

Earlier in the summer, Twitter acknowledged the permanent suspension of several fake accounts that had been mistakenly verified.