Twitter previews 'Official' label as paid blue tick confusion continues

Verified users had been able to display blue tick free of charge since its introduction in 2009

A blue verification tick on a Twitter page. Bloomberg

Twitter on Tuesday shared details about the future of its “blue checkmark” label, as it prepares to roll out the new Twitter Blue subscription plan that will let subscribers add a verification tick on their profiles.

The social platform had initially planned to roll out a $7.99 Twitter Blue monthly plan, with the blue tick as a profile feature, starting as early as last Sunday, but The New York Times reported a delay until at least Wednesday, after the US midterms.

Users have expressed concern over potential confusion between previously verified accounts and paying Twitter Blue subscribers with blue ticks on their profiles, with a risk of impersonation if left unmonitored.

“A lot of folks have asked about how you'll be able to distinguish between @TwitterBlue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we’re introducing the 'Official' label to select accounts when we launch,” director of product management at Twitter Esther Crawford tweeted.

Individual accounts that currently have a blue tick are usually celebrities, journalists and other public figures who have gone through a verification process.

Companies and news organisations with the tick have also undergone the same verification.

Verified users had been able to display the blue tick free of charge since its introduction in 2009 as a way to fend off impersonation and abuse.

“Not all previously verified accounts will get the 'Official' label and the label is not available for purchase,” Ms Crawford tweeted.

“Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures.”

It was unknown which verified accounts would not receive an “Official” label as part of the change.

On Monday, The Verge reported that Twitter chief executive Elon Musk was privately discussing potentially putting the entire platform behind a paywall.