The Twitter verification check is a complicated dance that gets harder and harder to follow. It was there, and then it was gone. Then it was back for a price, but only for a day. Then a grey checkmark appeared, but before you realized it, it was gone too. Then it reappeared again. Are you lost yet? Me too. But don’t worry, clarification might be on the way. Or not. In an early morning tweet, Elon Musk announced the social media platform’s revamped verification process could be rolled out as early as next Friday. This time, though, it would include more colors to denote what kind of user was actually verified. The use of colored verification checks isn’t a new concept. Musk alluded to their use in a previous tweet where he noted Twitter Blue would be shelved until he had more confidence in the platform’s ability to stop impersonation accounts. Fake accounts made headlines in early November after several verified accounts were used to mock Musk’s attempts to redeploy the verification system and clean up the platform.
This morning’s tweet is the first detail provided regarding the revamped, color-coded verification system. Musk followed with another tweet less than an hour later, further explaining the blue check’s role and the potential ability to include verified organizational affiliations. According to the follow-on tweet, Musk will provide a longer explanation of the new system next week. Musk’s takeover, changes, and plans to charge for verification have been met with less than open arms from the start. The platform has seen a steady stream of users exit for other platforms that offer more features and innovation, such as Discord or Mastodon. Others have abandoned the platform solely because they don’t agree with Musk, his practices, or his direction for the social media staple. There’s no way to predict how Musk’s changes will be received by Twitter’s user base. The only thing we know for now is that the blue bird is likely in for a bumpy flight no matter what happens next.
