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{{short description|Process of verifying ownership of a website account}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Verified-account.png|thumb|Image of [[Twitter]] verification badge]]▼
'''Account verification''' is the process of verifying that a new or existing account is owned and operated by a specified real individual or organization. A number of websites, for example [[social media]] websites, offer account verification services. Verified accounts are often visually distinguished by [[check mark]] icons or badges next to the names of individuals or organizations.
Account verification can enhance the quality of online services, mitigating [[sockpuppetry]], [[Social bot|bots]], [[Internet troll|trolling]], [[spamming|spam]], [[Vandalism#Cybervandalism|vandalism]], [[fake news]], [[disinformation]] and [[Foreign electoral intervention|election interference]].
== History ==
[[File:Verified-account.png|thumb|[[Twitter]] used a blue icon to mark verified accounts, from 2009 to 2022. In November 2022 the icon was changed to instead mark paid [[X Premium]] subscribers.]]
Account verification was initially a feature for public figures and accounts of interest, individuals in "music, acting, fashion, government, politics, religion, journalism, media, sports, business and other key interest areas".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/about-twitter-verified-accounts|title=Twitter verification requirements - how to get the blue check|website=help.twitter.com}}</ref> It was introduced by [[Twitter]] in June 2009,<ref name="twitter1">{{cite web|url=https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/a/2009/not-playing-ball.html |title=Not Playing Ball |first=Biz|last=Stone|date=June 6, 2009 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref name="twitter2">{{cite news|last=Kanalley|first=Craig|title=Why Twitter Verifies Users: The History Behind the Blue Checkmark|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/twitter-verified-accounts_b_2863282.html|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Huffington Post|date=March 12, 2013}}</ref><ref name="twitter3">{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2009/06/11/twitter-verified-accounts-2/|title=Twitter Launches Verified Accounts|first=Pete|last=Cashmore|website=[[Mashable]] |date=12 June 2009 }}</ref> followed by [[Google+]] in 2011,<ref name="google1">{{cite web|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/google-now-verifying-accounts-of-the-famous/|title=Google+ now verifying accounts of the famous|date=21 August 2011}}</ref> [[Facebook]] in 2012,<ref name="facebook1">{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/02/15/facebook-verified-accounts-alternate-names/|title=Facebook Launches Verified Accounts and Pseudonyms|first=Josh|last=Constine|date=16 February 2012 }}</ref> [[Instagram]] in 2014,<ref name="instagram1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-verified-badges-2014-12|title=Instagram Is Introducing 'Verified Badges' For Public Figures|first=Jillian|last=D'Onfro|website=Business Insider}}</ref> and [[Pinterest]] in 2015.<ref name="pinterest1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/pinterest-is-introducing-verified-accounts-for-public-figures-brands-celebrities-2015-6|title=Pinterest is introducing verified accounts for public figures|first=Jillian|last=D'Onfro|website=Business Insider}}</ref> On YouTube, users are able to submit a request for a verification badge once they obtain 100,000 or more subscribers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Verification badges on channels - YouTube Help |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3046484?hl=en |website=support.google.com |access-date=8 February 2019}}</ref> It also has an "official artist" badge for musicians and bands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introduction to Official Artist Channels - YouTube Help |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7336634?hl=en |website=support.google.com |access-date=8 February 2019}}</ref>▼
▲[[File:Verified-
In July 2016, [[Twitter]] announced that, beyond public figures, any individual would be able to apply for account verification.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-lets-anyone-apply-for-a-blue-verified-badge-1468960671|title=Twitter Lets Anyone Apply for a Blue 'Verified' Badge|first=Nathan|last=Olivarez-Giles|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=19 July 2016|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/19/blue-ticks-for-all-twitter-allows-all-users-to-be-verified|title=Blue ticks for all: Twitter allows users to apply to be verified|first=Press|last=Association|newspaper=The Guardian |date=19 July 2016|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> This was temporarily suspended in February 2018, following a backlash over the verification of one of the organisers of the far-right [[Unite the Right rally]] due to a perception that verification conveys "credibility" or "importance".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roettgers |first1=Janko |title=Twitter Pauses Verifications After Backlash Over Verifying Far-Right Extremist |url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/twitter-verifications-suspended-1202610990/ |access-date=5 April 2019 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=9 November 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-suspends-account-verifications-after-backlash-2017-11|title=Twitter stops its verification program after giving its 'verified' badge to the organizer of the Charlottesville 'Unite the Right' rally|first=Caroline|last=Cakebread|date=9 November 2017|website=Business Insider}}</ref> In March 2018, during a live-stream on [[Periscope (app)|Periscope]], [[Jack Dorsey]], co-founder and CEO of [[Twitter]], discussed the idea of allowing any individual to get a verified account.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/twitter-verified-account-open-everyone-1202722587/|title=Twitter CEO Wants to Open Up Verified Accounts to Everyone|last=Spangler|first=Todd|work=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> Twitter reopened account verification applications in May 2021 after revamping their account verification criteria.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |title=Twitter is letting anyone apply for verification for the first time since 2017 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/20/22435770/twitter-public-verification-program-launch-2021-pronouns-profile |website=The Verge |access-date=24 May 2021 |language=en |date=2021-05-20}}</ref> This time offering notability criteria for the account categories of government, companies, brands, and organizations, news organizations and journalists, entertainment, sports and activists, organizers, and other influential individuals.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Twitter Verification requirements - how to get the blue check |url=https://help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/about-twitter-verified-accounts |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=help.twitter.com |language=en}}</ref> Among all these categories listed, it miss a specific category that fits scientists<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pereira |first=Cássio Cardoso |date=2022-05-03 |title=Twitter: a blue badge for scientists? |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01188-y |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=605 |issue=7908 |pages=30 |doi=10.1038/d41586-022-01188-y|pmid=35505189 |bibcode=2022Natur.605...30P |s2cid=248515010 }}</ref> and religious.<ref name="auto"/> Instagram began allowing users to request verification in August 2018.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liao |first1=Shannon |title=You can now apply to be verified in Instagram |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/28/17791450/instagram-verified-request-verification-status |website=The Verge |date=28 August 2018 |access-date=26 September 2018}}</ref>▼
▲Account verification
▲In July 2016, [[Twitter]] announced that, beyond public figures, any individual would be able to apply for [[Twitter verification|account verification]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-lets-anyone-apply-for-a-blue-verified-badge-1468960671|title=Twitter Lets Anyone Apply for a Blue 'Verified' Badge|first=Nathan|last=Olivarez-Giles|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=19 July 2016|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/19/blue-ticks-for-all-twitter-allows-all-users-to-be-verified|title=Blue ticks for all: Twitter allows users to apply to be verified|
In April 2018, [[Mark Zuckerberg]], co-founder and CEO of [[Facebook]], announced that purchasers of political or issue-based advertisements would be required to verify their identities and locations.<ref name="zuck2018">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10104784125525891|title=Mark Zuckerberg - With important elections coming up in...|date=6 April 2018|website=Facebook}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/business/facebook-verification-ads.html |title=Facebook to Require Verified Identities for Future Political Ads|newspaper=The New York Times|date=6 April 2018|last1=Nicas|first1=Jack}}</ref> He also indicated that [[Facebook]] would require individuals who manage large pages to be verified.<ref name="zuck2018" /> In May 2018, Kent Walker, senior vice president of [[Google]], announced that, in the United States, purchasers of political-leaning advertisements would need to verify their identities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blog.google/topics/public-policy/supporting-election-integrity-through-greater-advertising-transparency/ |title=Supporting election integrity through greater advertising transparency|date=4 May 2018}}</ref>
{{multiple image
In November 2022, [[Elon Musk]] included a blue verification check mark with a paid Twitter Blue monthly membership. Prior to Musk's [[Acquisition_of_Twitter_by_Elon_Musk|acquisition of Twitter]], Twitter offered this check mark at no charge to confirmed high profile users.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63478854 | title=Elon Musk says $8 monthly fee for Twitter blue tick | work=BBC News | date=November 2022 }}</ref> On December 19, 2022, Twitter introduced two new check mark colors: gold for accounts from official businesses and organizations, and grey for accounts from governments or multilateral organizations. The type of check mark can be confirmed by visiting the profile page, then clicking or tapping on the check mark.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mehta |first1=Ivan |title=A quick guide to all the checkmarks and badges on Twitter |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/13/a-quick-guide-to-all-the-checkmarks-and-badges-on-twitter/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=January 8, 2023 |date=December 13, 2022}}</ref>▼
| total_width = 200
| image1 = Twitter Verified Badge Gold.svg
| image2 = Twitter Verified Badge Gray.svg
| caption1 = Gold badge used for Verified Organizations Twitter subscribers
| alt1 = Gold-colored eight-lobed badge with checkmark icon
| caption2 = Gray badge used for government accounts on Twitter
| alt2 = Gray eight-lobed badge with checkmark icon
}}
▲In November 2022, [[Elon Musk]] included a blue verification check mark with a paid Twitter Blue monthly membership. Prior to Musk's [[
== Techniques ==
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{{Main|Identity verification service}}
[[Identity verification service]]s are third-party solutions which can be used to ensure that a person provides information which is associated with the identity of a real person. Such services may verify the authenticity of [[identity documents]] such as [[drivers license]]s or [[passport]]s, called documentary verification, or may verify identity information against authoritative sources such as [[credit bureau]]s or government data, called
=== Identity documents verification ===
{{See also|Identity document}}
The uploading of scanned or photographed [[identity document]]s is a practice in use, for example, at [[Facebook]].<ref name="facebook_hc">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/183000765122339|title=Confirm Your Identity With Facebook | Facebook|website=www.facebook.com}}</ref> According to [[Facebook]], there are two reasons that a person would be asked to send a scan of or photograph of an [[identity document|ID]] to [[Facebook]]: to show account ownership and to confirm their name.<ref name="facebook_hc" />
In January 2018, [[Facebook]] purchased Confirm.io,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2018/01/23/facebook-confirm-io/|title=Facebook acquires biometric ID verification startup Confirm.io|date=23 January 2018 }}</ref> a startup that was advancing technologies to verify the authenticity of [[identity document|identification documentation]].
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{{See also|Bank account}}
[[Identity verification service|Identity verification]] is required to establish bank accounts and other financial accounts in many jurisdictions. Verifying identity in the financial sector is often required by regulation such as [[Know Your Customer]] or [[Customer Identification Program]]. Accordingly, bank accounts can be of use as [[corroborating evidence]] when performing account verification.
Bank account information can be provided when creating or verifying an account or when making a purchase.
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In April 2023, Blue ticks were removed from all Twitter accounts that had not subscribed to Twitter Blue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kilraine |first=Lottie |date=21 April 2023 |title=Twitter users mourn their blue ticks after Elon Musk removes legacy checkmarks |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2023-04-21/twitter-users-mourn-removal-of-legacy-blue-ticks |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=[[itv.com]]}}</ref>
==
* [[User profile]]▼
* {{annotated link|Electronic authentication}}
▲* [[Digital identity]]
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* {{annotated link|Personal data}}
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== References ==
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