Microblogging site Twitter has suspended its verified-profile scheme terming the process ‘broken’ that allowed many right-wing individuals’ account to be verified in the recent past.
Usually, Twitter verified accounts of prominent people, including musicians, journalists and company executives by adding a blue icon on their profile after proving their identity. However, some far-right and white-supremacist accounts too have been verified causing huge concern among the top executives of the popular social media site.
BBC quoted Twitter founder Jack Dorsey as saying that the scheme would now be “reconsidered.’
The company issued a statement saying that “verification was meant to authenticate identity and voice, but it is interpreted as an endorsement or an indicator of importance.”
It added, “We recognise that we have created this confusion and need to resolve it.” The company further added that no further “general” accounts would be verified, while it worked on a fix.
Twitter has also been making a series of changes to address abuse and harassment on the social network. Last week, Twitter published a new version of its rules, which it says will clarify its policies and how it enforces them. It is part of a series of changes as the social network tries to address complaints of abuse and harassment on its website.
It said the changes reflected the “latest trends in online behaviour.” However, anticipated new policies relating to “violent groups, hateful imagery, and abusive usernames” will not arrive until 22 November.
On Friday, Twitter shared that it will:
- email people if their account is suspended, explaining which policy they violated
- consider the context and “newsworthiness” of tweets when evaluating whether they are abusive
- contact people who may be considering harming themselves to connect them with healthcare professionals