Twitter to introduce ‘Official’ badge for select verified accounts
Twitter will introduce an ‘Official’ label for select verified accounts including major media outlets and governments, Esther Crawford said on Wednesday.
The company says the new label would help users distinguish between Twitter Blue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as ‘official’, such as government accounts and Twitter’s main page.
The new announcement comes from Twitter VP Esther Crawford, who is overseeing the upgraded Twitter Blue subscription. In a series of tweets, she said, “A lot of folks have asked about how you’ll be able to distinguish between @TwitterBlue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we’re introducing the “Official” label to select accounts when we launch (sic).”
A lot of folks have asked about how you’ll be able to distinguish between @TwitterBlue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we’re introducing the “Official” label to select accounts when we launch. pic.twitter.com/0p2Ae5nWpO
— Esther Crawford ✨ (@esthercrawford) November 8, 2022
Crawford also clarified that not all previously verified accounts will get the ‘Official’ label, and accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers, and some public figures. The label sits below the profile name, as pointed out by a screenshot shared by Crawford.
The new Twitter Blue does not include ID verification – it’s an opt-in, paid subscription that offers a blue checkmark and access to select features. We’ll continue to experiment with ways to differentiate between account types.
— Esther Crawford ✨ (@esthercrawford) November 8, 2022
It also means that the official accounts may not need to get a Twitter Blue subscription to retain the verified badge, though more clarity is awaited. Twitter had previously said that existing verified users would need to get the $8-worth Blue subscription to retain the verified badge. The prices of Blue subscriptions will vary according to markets, and it is yet to launch in India.
Meanwhile, Crawford has clarified that Twitter Blue does not include ID verification, though it is an opt-in method. The company will “continue to experiment with ways to differentiate between account types”.
