Since April 1 Twitter has begun phasing out their old verification program.

The system, introduced in 2009 with a main focus to relay authenticity of a Twitter account, is being replaced by a paid version for individuals, brands, and businesses as “the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over”, according to current CEO Elon Musk.

At the time of the introduction, verification provided users the means to distinguish genuine account holders from fake profiles. News sites would use verification as a way to gain credible sources to breaking stories globally with a direct message or a mention.

Verification via social media means that you’d have proven you or your brand’s identity to the platform with news articles, an ID card, and other evaluation methods which showcased that you were authentic, active, and noteworthy. In exchange, your profile was given the approval of legitimacy in the form of a check mark.

In light of anyone now being able to be verified via the use of the new subscription service, Twitter Blue, it begs the question, if ones has to pay, what assures an account’s authenticity?

For starters, being ‘verified’ has been a cultural staple for many brands across social media since it was launched on Twitter almost 15 years ago. The program came into being on the heels of a lawsuit, by Tony La Russa, then manager of the St Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball franchise, who unearthed a fake account bearing his name which posted offensive comments.

As impersonation violates Twitter’s terms of service, the company decided to ‘not play ball’ and that summer launched verified accounts. La Russa, little over a month later, dropped the lawsuit.

Fast-forward to 2023, in the world of bots, AI, and parody accounts, it brings us back to the same issue, this time with a more profitable solution.

Note too that this new strategy will also impact the look and feel of the user timeline.

Removal of Verification Status

Starting April 15, Twitter will showcase only verified accounts in their “For You” recommendations page, boosting paid accounts’ visibility to all Twitter users in a suite of offerings under the new program. Starting at USD$8/11 per month depending on when you signed on for personal users (blue tick) and US$1K per month for organisations (gold tick), Twitter is betting that this move will reduce spam accounts as verification will mean provision of a valid phone number.

Voting in Twitter polls will also require that the account also be verified.

Since legacy verification removal started on April 1, some users have simply refused to pay the monthly subscription fee. With global trusted news sites such as New York Times, the LA Times and The Washington Post, as well as celebrities such as Lebron James and Doja Cat opting out of payment, even losing verification in the case of Doja, the future of the new strategy seems unclear. It makes one wonder, why get verified in 2023?

The platform pitches that Blue will “give exclusive access to app customisations [to give your brands] creative power over content”. While other benefits include the ability to post longer tweets and undo tweets, see fewer ads on the timeline, longer video upload, two-factor SMS authentication, and customised navigation and app options, is the monthly price worth it?

Meta, parent company of Facebook, is also testing a new subscription service for verified Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Just in case you also opt to not pay, next week we will share some digital marketing ‘basics’ on what you can do if you or your brand wakes up with your check mark removed.

You may use the tips to build your brand reputation and legitimacy with your intended audience so that you are ready and prepared for any eventualities on social media.

Until next time, think digital-first.

Shane G Bennett is a martech and marcomms professional specialising in digital transformation, corporate communications, social media solutions, and brand management for SMEs, non-profits, and multinational companies. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or sgbjamaica@gmail.com.