Twitter is reportedly considering giving everyone a chance for official verification, but the users would first have to prove they’re a real human.
Denoted with a blue checkmark, a prized badge of ostensible honor for many, the verification signifies which accounts are authentic and of public importance and intrigue.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said Friday he plans on exploring potential ways to make the process work without being accused of partiality, Fortune reported.
It needs to be done “in a way that is scalable, [so] we’re not in the way and people can verify more facts about themselves and we don’t have to be the judge or imply any bias on our part,” said Dorsey.
But the idea of Twitter trying to determine who is worthy of heightened interest on the social media platform isn’t what the company intended, according to David Gasca, Twitter’s director of product.
“Users think of it [verification] as credibility, [that] Twitter stands behind this person and what they’re saying is great and authentic, which is not what we meant,” Gasca explained, according to The Verge. (RELATED: There’s Now A Dating App For Verified Twitter Users)
Twitter’s process for authentication, like many features and initiatives of big tech companies, is a perennially contentious issue. People protested when white supremacists and alt-right figures were given a blue checkmark. But soon after, others were upset that a Twitter executive said it is “no longer possible to stand up for all speech.”
It’s not yet clear how such a prospective move will be received, especially since Twitter is often on the receiving end of criticism after changes. Many people complained when Twitter decided to increase its character limit to 280 from 140, an alteration of what made its platform unique. Portions of the public were also unhappy that the tech giant wouldn’t suspend President Donald Trump’s Twitter profile even after he seemed to technically break some rules.
Twitter did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for further details in time of publication.
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