Twitter Says Account Verification to Return in Early 2021

Twitter will re-open account verification requests early next year, the company announced this week, bringing brand-new guidelines for users seeking the little tick next to their Twitter handle.

Rumors that Twitter has been working on a new verification system first appeared in June, but the company has now officially confirmed its return in a blog post, in which it asked for feedback on a draft proposal for verification.

“We plan to relaunch verification, including a new public application process, in early 2021,” the company said. “But first, we need to update our verification policy with your help. This policy will lay the foundation for future improvements by defining what verification means, who is eligible for verification and why some accounts might lose verification to ensure the process is more equitable.”

Assuming the proposal stays the same, accounts that will be eligible for verification include government officials, companies, brands and nonprofit organizations, news outlets and freelance journalists, entertainment and sports, activists, organizers, and other influential individuals.

If a profile becomes inactive or incomplete, the proposals suggest it could be stripped of verification, while accounts that fail to adhere to the social network’s rules could also lose their verified status.

Twitter is asking users to fill in a survey on how the verification process should be operated, and says it’s working with organizations for additional feedback. Going into 2021, the company says it also plans to give Twitter users more ways to identify themselves, such as new account types and labels, although what form they will take has yet to be revealed.