People are upset at Twitter. ‘Twas ever thus. However, in this particular instance they’re upset over the company giving out blue ticks to white supremacists.
While the social network has gone to the end of the earth to point verification shouldn’t be “interpreted as an endorsement or an indicator of importance,” it’s not a good look, is it?
It responded by rescinding the verification of the so-called ‘alt-right’ users, but has admitted this isn’t a long-term solution for the “broken” verification process.
Now it appears the company is considering opening up verification for anyone who can prove their identify.
In a Periscope livestream this week, embattled CEO Jack Dorsey said the open book would counteract any accusations of bias.
“The intention is to open verification to everyone,” he said (via The Verge).
“And to do it in a way that’s scalable, where [Twitter] is not in the way and people can verify more facts about themselves and we don’t have to be the judge or imply any bias on our part.”
Class system
Currently Twitter allows anyone to request verification, but the blue tick is usually reserved for celebrities, media personalities, reporters, sports stars and other noted contributors.
Originally, it was designed to protect against fake accounts, but it has become a a social media class symbol in recent times. Verifying everyone would go a long way towards counteracting that perception.
Dorsey also said the company is working hard on eliminating the spread of misinformation and illegal content through the platform.
He added: “We have a lot of work ahead, it’s not going to be overnight. We’re going to be as open as we can.
“That’s going to be uncomfortable for us in many ways, but we want to be very open and very vulnerable with you all about what we’re facing and what our challenges are.”
Do you democratising the blue tick is the solution? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
