If you’ve opened Twitter recently, it may look slightly different to the last time you logged in – even if that was just a few days ago.
Twitter users have been left baffled by the platform’s ‘confusing’ new labelling system, recently authorised by Elon Musk to improve the verification process.
Earlier this week, some accounts had their profile pictures changed from a circle to a square shape with rounded corners to indicate they represent a verified business.
A new series of different coloured checkmarks, which denote different types of verified accounts, has also been rolled out.
Twitter users have been left baffled by the platform’s ‘confusing’ new labelling system, recently authorised by Elon Musk to improve the verification process
A blue tick (left) indicates that the user pays for Twitter Blue, a grey tick indicates a government institution or official, while a gold tick (right) denotes a business account
In response to Twitter’s changes, one user said: ‘Twitter is getting so confusing. Like red check marks, blue check marks, yellow check marks, circle profile pictures, square profile pictures, business tags. wtf is going on?’
Another added: ‘Twitter is so confusing right now. Square Profile, Round Profile, Blue Badge, Yellow Badge, Affiliate Badge. 5 Different things and combination for these!’
Some called out Twitter for making this new verification system ‘inaccessible for many disabled people’.
This is because those with colour blindness may struggle to differentiate between the blue, grey and gold ticks.
But others praised the introduction of the various colours, saying it is helpful to see straight away who is a person as opposed to a business, organisation or government account.
The checkmarks and new profile picture shapes are not the only updates Mr Musk has made to further differentiate Twitter accounts.
A few have also been graced with another badge on their profile indicating an affiliate organisation.
These are miniature square icons that appear to the right of the checkmark on the profile and in Tweets, showing the logo of the affiliation.
This is reportedly a feature available to subscribers of ‘Twitter Blue for Business‘, a corporate version of Twitter Blue.
The new upgrade option is being rolled out to certain verified accounts, who also have a gold tick and a square profile picture.
It is currently unclear whether accounts with these features have actively signed up to Twitter Blue For Business, and how much it costs if they have.
Aside from the ticks, badges and square-shaped profile pictures, you may also see new, grey labels next to certain accounts.
Twitter accounts are having their profile pictures changed from a circle to a square shape to indicate they are a verified business accounts
One user tweeted: ‘Twitter is so confusing right now. Square Profile, Round Profile, Blue Badge, Yellow Badge, Affiliate Badge. 5 Different things and combination for these!’
Some called out Twitter for making this new verification system ‘inaccessible for many disabled people’
‘State-affiliated media’ or ‘government organisation’ labels are applied to verified accounts of organisations controlled by individuals or media entities affiliated with a country’s government or state.
An ‘Automated by…’ label indicates that an account is posting content not produced by a human, and names the person responsible for it.
Labels reading ‘Official’ may also still be around to denote the verified accounts of commercial companies, but these are not subscribed to Twitter Blue for Business.
The final label you may see is a ‘Professional category’ (right), which is a descriptor like ‘Coffee Shop’ or ‘Beauty, Cosmetics & Personal Care’. These are available to those with a third tier of account upgrade, what’s called a ‘ Professional Account ‘
‘State-affiliated media’ or ‘government organisation’ labels (left) are applied to verified accounts of organisations controlled by individuals or media entities affiliated with a country’s government or state. An ‘Automated by…’ label (right) indicates that an account is posting content not produced by a human, and names the person responsible for it
The final label you may see is a ‘Professional category’, which is a descriptor like ‘Coffee Shop’ or ‘Beauty, Cosmetics & Personal Care’.
These are available to those with a third tier of account upgrade, what’s called a ‘Professional Account‘.
Professional Accounts are available to ‘businesses, brands, creators and publishers’ who fit a set of criteria, and are currently completely free.
Some have called out Twitter for making this new verification system ‘inaccessible for many disabled people’. This is because those with colour blindness may struggle to differentiate between the blue, grey and gold ticks
Mr Musk has been hellbent on improving the verification process and ridding the platform of so-called ‘spam bots’ since before his $44billion (£38bn) takeover.
In his official statement after having his bid accepted in April, he said that he wants ‘to make Twitter better than ever’ by ‘authenticating all humans’.
But when only in his second week, he hit the brakes on rolling out the grey ‘Official’ labels to prominent Twitter accounts after just a few hours.
This worried advertisers, and Mr Musk told them over an hour-long live broadcast that it was an ‘aesthetic nightmare’ as well as creating a ‘two-class system’.
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