Twitter to allow users to apply for verification check mark starting now

Twitter announced that starting today, anyone who wants to verify their account on the social media platform can do so by filling out a form.

The company announced on Tuesday that anyone looking for the blue check mark of Twitter authenticity can fill out an online form and the company will consider it on a case by case basis.

In order to be verified, you'll need:

• A verified phone number.
• A confirmed email address.
• A Twitter bio.
• An accurate profile picture.
• A birthday.
• A website.
• Your tweets set to public.

In addition to being a sort of digital status symbol, verified account holders have access to much more data about who follows them, which tweets got the most reach, and other useful information.

Previously, the verification process was opaque and nebulous, as the company has declined to reveal how it verifies authenticity, and even who it deems to be "public figures" that tend to attract more attention.

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"We want to make it even easier for people to find creators and influencers on Twitter so it makes sense for us to let people apply for verification," the company's vice-president of user servicesTina Bhatnagar said."We hope opening up this application process results in more people finding great, high-quality accounts to follow, and for these creators and influencers to connect with a broader audience."

The company, founded in 2007, started verifying accounts in 2009 and currently has 187,000 such accounts, which are known by their blue check mark symbols. That's less than one per cent of the service's more than 300 million monthly active users.

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The move comes as the company faces a growing backlash against hate speech and bullying on its platform. Women and people of colour and from other minority groups have long complained about harassment on the service, which the company seems unwilling or unable to fully combat.

Moving to a more graded system with more verified accounts could be a helpful tool in weeding out some problem users.