Do you want to get the blue check mark on Twitter? Here's how to get verified.
Anyone familiar with Twitter will recognize the blue check, which lets them know an account has been verified and is authentic. Celebrities, athletes and journalists typically are verified by Twitter to allow users to know these accounts are genuine.
The social media platform has been verifying users since 2009, but that may soon change under the helm of new owner Elon Musk. The billionaire said on Twitter the process was being "revamped," but did not specify how. Some reports have said verification will soon come with a monthly sticker price from $4.99 to $19.99 a month.
For now, you can still be verified through Twitter's standard process, but it still won't be easy. You will need to follow some steps before you can get your blue check.
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How to get verified on Twitter
To get the blue check on Twitter your account needs to meet three criteria. It must be "authentic, notable and active," according to Twitter.
The first step in the process is confirming your identity. According to Twitter, this can be done by using one of the following three methods.
Official website: You must provide a website link referencing you (or your organization) along with your Twitter account. The organization must also be verified on Twitter.
ID verification: Individuals can provide a photo of “a valid official government-issued identification document.” This includes passports and driver's licenses. This method does not apply to brands, companies or organizations, only to individuals.
Official email address: Provide an official email address that has a domain “relevant to the notability category you choose.” For individuals who use this method, the organization associated with the domain must already be verified.
Aside from confirming the identity of an individual, Twitter also verifies accounts based on certain notability criteria.
News Coverage: Users can provide new articles from verified media organizations that are about themselves or their organization. Articles can also reference them or their organization, but must do so multiple times. Self-published content or articles from blogs may not be used. You may also be asked to submit an article that includes a link to your organization’s Twitter handle.
Google Trends: Users can provide a link to their Google Trends profile depicting a search history linked to the category they are applying to be verified with.
Wikipedia: Users can provide a link to a “stable Wikipedia article” about themselves or their organization “that meets the encyclopedia’s notability standards.”
Other industry-specific references: Users, depending on the category they are applying to, may be asked to submit more “industry-specific references.” For users in the entertainment industry, this could include a link to an IMDb page.
Follower or Mention Count: Users who are in the top 0.05% of mention or follower count in their geographic area may be able to use it for “notability evidence” in some categories.
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Users who wish to be verified must also be active on Twitter and have observed the following rules:
Complete: Your account has a profile image and name
Active use: Your account must be public when you apply to become verified. You also must have been logged into your account within the last six months.
Security: Your account needs to have a confirmed phone number or email address
Twitter rules: In the past 12 months, your account cannot have had a 12-hour or seven-day lockout for violating any of Twitter’s rules. This does not include users who successfully appealed a lockout.
According to Twitter, categories for verification include:
Government
News organizations and individuals in news
Companies, brands and organizations
Entertainment
Sports and gaming
Activists and organizers
Content creators and other influential individuals
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Can Twitter remove a verified status?
According to Twitter, in accordance with Twitter's Terms of Service, they can remove verified status at any time and without warning. This can happen as a result of the following, including but not limited to:
Changes made to the handle of an account
Accounts that become incomplete or inactive
Individuals who are longer in the position they were in when they were verified, such as former elected officials who do not otherwise meet Twitter’s verification criteria, can have their blue check taken away
If there are changes to an account that are misleading or “or substantially alter the persona present” on the account
If changes to an account result in failure to meet the eligibility requirements for verification
If changes to an account cause an individual to fall under any category in the "Ineligible Accounts" section on Twitter’s verification guideline
Twitter can also remove verification status from accounts that are in repeated or severe violation of Twitter Rules. According to Twitter, “Any violation of the Twitter Terms of Service or Twitter Rules, manipulation of Twitter processes, or circumvention of enforcement actions may result in loss of the badge or in certain instances, suspension.”
This includes:
Impersonation
Intentionally misleading people on Twitter by changing your display name, bio, banner image, and/or profile image.
Severe violations that result in immediate account suspension.
Repeat policy violations in Tweets, including but not limited to:
Hateful conduct
Abusive behavior
Glorification of violence
Civic integrity
Private information
Platform manipulation and spam
According to Twitter, verification removal due to repeated violations is not automatic and is instead “assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
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Can any Twitter account be verified?
Not all accounts are eligible to be verified by Twitter. Regardless if they meet Twitter’s verification criteria, the following accounts are ineligible for blue checks:
Unofficial fan accounts
Parody accounts
Commentary accounts
Accounts for animals or pets, unless affiliated with a brand, company or organization that is verified.
Accounts that have engaged in “severe” violation of Twitter’s platform manipulation and spam policy. This included accounts that buy and sell followers.
“Accounts that routinely post content that harasses, shames, or insults any individual or group.”
Accounts that promote the sale of blue checks
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to get verified on Twitter? What to know about blue check mark.
