What to Know About Twitter’s New Verification Process

Twitter’s verification process may soon change. The social media company announced plans to update its verification process last year, and recent evidence indicates the new process could go into effect as soon as next week.

Engineer and tech blogger Jane Manchun Wong tweeted about several upcoming Twitter features, including screengrabs of the alleged new verification request form. While Wong does not work for Twitter, they say the updated verification process and request form screenshots are verified by “multiple sources,” and that “Twitter plans to launch the new self-served verification request form next week.

If Wong’s sources and screenshots are correct, the new verification process will let users select the type of verified account they’re applying for, and submit identification materials through the new request form. Account types include activists, companies, content creators, entertainers, government officials, journalists, social media influencers, professional athletes, and e-sports personalities. According to Wong, Twitter will soon label verified users as journalists, entertainers, and so on, like it does for government and state-affiliated media accounts.

The new verification request tool should make the process easier to start, but the guidelines for obtaining and maintaining verified status on Twitter aren’t changing. Let’s go over what you might need to do to start a verification application, and what the process may look like once Twitter’s new request form is live.

How to apply for Twitter verification

Before you begin the verification process your account must be public and your profile has to include your real name, birth date, accurate information in your bio, and you must use a real photo of yourself as your profile image. You also need a valid phone number and email address added to your account. Those are the bare minimum requirements.

From there, you can start the application process by going to Settings > Request Verification. Based on Wong’s screenshots, the new request form begins by asking you which type of verified account type you’re applying for.

Next, you would select a qualification method. The options reportedly include Google Trends articles, Wikipedia pages, news coverage, or official leadership websites if you’re applying for a company. You would need to submit links to three valid sources matching the qualification method you chose.

After that, you would need to prove your identity with a government-issued ID card (such as a driver’s licence or passport), or an official email address or website tied to your company’s domain name.

Twitter would review your application after you submit it, and you would be notified shortly after. If your request is accepted, you’ll get the coveted blue checkmark; if not, you can wait 30 days and submit a new application.

[9to5Mac]