Twitter to Add 'Official' Label to Some Accounts With Original Verification Checkmark

The blue checkmark that isn't tied to identity verification will be given to users who pay for a monthly subscription to the service.

"A lot of people have asked about how you'll be able to distinguish between blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we're introducing the 'OFFICIAL' label to select accounts when we launch," said Esther Crawford in a statement.

"Not all previously verified accounts will get the 'Official' label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures."

Crawford shared a picture of the "OFFICIAL" label on the profile page of the account, which he said was an opt-in paid subscription. She said that they would continue to experiment with different account types.

The blue checkmark used to let other users know that an account with the Badge had provided verification information, such as a phone number or a copy of their license.

The new blue checkmark will indicate that an account is a paying subscriber. It's not clear why the company still plans to call it verification. The launch of Twitter Blue was delayed until after the U.S. Midterm elections.

Not all previously verified accounts will get the “Official” label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures. — Esther Crawford ✨ (@esthercrawford) November 8, 2022

The new subscription service has come under fire in the past few weeks, with Musk promising that it will cut down on fraud. Musk himself has fallen victim to being impersonated by comedians and other people who changed their verified profiles to "Elon Musk" without stating that they were parodying his account. Users were locked out of their own accounts until they changed their names.

There will be no warning before suspensions are imposed and people will lose their blue checkmark if they change their names.