2 weeks Ago By Theunis Jansen van Rensburg
Bluesky, the burgeoning social media platform, is adopting an official verification system, marking a notable shift in its approach to user authentication. In a recent update, the company announced its plans to grant blue checkmarks to accounts deemed “authentic and notable.” Furthermore, it will empower select “trusted organizations” to verify users as well.
Read: What we expect from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 This move represents a significant departure for Bluesky, which had previously resisted the concept of centralized verification. Until now, the platform primarily relied on a domain-based verification system, allowing users to alter their handles to align with domains they are affiliated with. However, this method frequently drew criticism for its complexity and its perceived inadequacy in effectively preventing impersonation.
These critiques have become increasingly prominent as Bluesky’s user base has expanded and attracted more high-profile individuals. A recent example involved former US President Barack Obama joining the platform. His handle did not utilize a custom domain, understandably leading many users to question the account’s authenticity.
Ultimately, individual Bluesky employees had to publicly confirm the account’s legitimacy. Under Bluesky’s newly implemented system, the company will proactively verify certain accounts and display a prominent blue checkmark on their profiles. The specific criteria Bluesky will employ for these badges and its methods for verifying user identities have not yet been fully disclosed.
Additionally, a slightly differentiated blue badge, featuring “scalloped edges,” will be available for “trusted organizations” to grant through a new “trusted verifiers” feature. The New York Times has been identified as one of the initial participating organizations. The newspaper will now have the ability to issue blue checks to its journalists on the platform.
While Bluesky has not yet specified which other organizations will be part of this program, it stated that it will review verifications issued by third parties to “ensure authenticity.” Interestingly, Bluesky emphasized that individuals and organizations are still “highly encourage(d)” to verify themselves using a custom domain. Moreover, it appears that the new blue checkmarks may be initially limited in availability.
“During this initial phase, Bluesky is not accepting direct applications for verification,” the company stated in its announcement. “As this feature stabilizes, we’ll launch a request form for notable and authentic accounts interested in becoming verified or becoming trusted verifiers.”.
