Bluesky, the burgeoning social media site has introduced a new verification system with two ways to get verified. And the company is reviving the Twitter-style blue checkmark.
Bluesky will “proactively verify authentic and notable accounts and display a blue check next to their names,” the company said in a blog post Monday.
This is how Twitter used to handle verifications before Elon Musk bought that site, renamed it X, and allowed users to buy checkmarks. So, if you’ve been yearning for Twitter circa 2017, this will feel familiar to you. Users verified with this method will see a smooth, circular blue checkmark icon added next to their Bluesky name.
Read more: Are You a ‘Twitter Quitter?’ Over 35 Million People Are Using Bluesky
Bluesky didn’t specify how it would choose these accounts, but did note in its blog post that 270,000 people have set their domains as their username, which is how users and companies can “verify” their accounts currently. Like the Twitter of old, it’ll likely be based on influence, and will probably include celebrities and well known companies.
Users also will eventually get to apply for verification. However, Bluesky said that applications are closed for now until the new system finishes rolling out.
Companies can verify others
Also, Bluesky will allow trusted and verified companies to verify other people. These “trusted verifiers” will be able to grant a blue checkmark to their associates. In Bluesky’s example, The New York Times will be able to verify its writers with this method, granting them a blue checkmark.
To keep things above board, users can tap on the checkmark and see which organization granted the individual’s verification. Bluesky hasn’t said how trusted verifiers would be chosen, but they will be differentiated from regular verified users and companies with a scalloped blue checkmark instead of a circular one.
The feature rolled out on April 21, and checkmarks have already begun showing up in the app. Should you not want to engage with the feature, you can turn it off by going to Settings > Moderation > Verification Settings and ticking the box to “hide verification badges.”
