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Twitter's Verified Accounts Feature Launched
Techtree News Staff, Jun 12, 2009 1517 hrs ISTTwitter will test Verified Accounts feature with select users
A couple of days back, we reported about Twitter's plan to launch Verified Accounts feature for playing safe against issues of fake profiles. When there are a million unique users, existence of a large number of fake accounts impersonating personalities is not surprising. But, Twitter has taken this initiative of introducing the new Verified Accounts feature which, of course, is in beta testing mode currently.
A microblogging site Twitter, like any other Web 2.0 style social networking site, had been hit by imposters trying to pose as famous actor, sports person, musician, public officials or public agencies. With new Verified Accounts feature, the users will get to see a 'Verified Account' button on the respective user's profile page. With this, users can easily know the authenticity of the account.
Twitter has rolled out the first phase starting with well-known (read: celebrities and public figures) accounts that have had problems with impersonation or identity confusion. This feature is under a testing phase with a limited set of users, considering the cost and time investment required. Of course, more accounts would be verified in next several months.
So, how does Twitter actually verify the account? Well, the Verified Accounts page mentions - we've been in contact with the person or entity the account is representing and verified that it is approved. (This does not mean we have verified who, exactly, is writing the tweets.).
So, we will still not be able to verify whether it is the representing person/entity who is actually writing the updates or someone else. This means, the verification is made about the account and not the Twitter updates. So, this might also mean that the verified account holder can send 'tweets' and get away saying - it wasn't me! If this was thought about earlier, Mark Cuban could've got away without a $25,000 fine for posting comments regarding NBA game after getting mad over a player's performance.
The businesses that look to monetize from Twitter and seeking verified account badge will have wait since the feature hasn't been rolled out to corporate entities yet.
Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder, posted on the official Twitter blog, "Please note that this doesn't mean accounts without a verification seal are fake-the vast majority of Twitter accounts are not impersonators."
A microblogging site Twitter, like any other Web 2.0 style social networking site, had been hit by imposters trying to pose as famous actor, sports person, musician, public officials or public agencies. With new Verified Accounts feature, the users will get to see a 'Verified Account' button on the respective user's profile page. With this, users can easily know the authenticity of the account.
Twitter has rolled out the first phase starting with well-known (read: celebrities and public figures) accounts that have had problems with impersonation or identity confusion. This feature is under a testing phase with a limited set of users, considering the cost and time investment required. Of course, more accounts would be verified in next several months.
So, how does Twitter actually verify the account? Well, the Verified Accounts page mentions - we've been in contact with the person or entity the account is representing and verified that it is approved. (This does not mean we have verified who, exactly, is writing the tweets.).
So, we will still not be able to verify whether it is the representing person/entity who is actually writing the updates or someone else. This means, the verification is made about the account and not the Twitter updates. So, this might also mean that the verified account holder can send 'tweets' and get away saying - it wasn't me! If this was thought about earlier, Mark Cuban could've got away without a $25,000 fine for posting comments regarding NBA game after getting mad over a player's performance.
The businesses that look to monetize from Twitter and seeking verified account badge will have wait since the feature hasn't been rolled out to corporate entities yet.
Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder, posted on the official Twitter blog, "Please note that this doesn't mean accounts without a verification seal are fake-the vast majority of Twitter accounts are not impersonators."
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(1) Comments
Jaspal Singh
,Ghaziabad, on Jun 14, 2009 08:37 PM
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