Benzinga | Nov 25, 2020 03:10AM EST

Twitter To Start Handing Out Coveted Blue Checks Again Early Next Year

Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) will start handing out blue check badges and verify accounts again in early 2021, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday.

What Happened: The Jack Dorsey-led social network published the requirements, which span account activity, recognition, and association with a prominent brand or individual.

The six types of accounts that can receive the verification will at the beginning include Government, companies -- including brands and non-profits, news, entertainment, sports and activists, organizers, and other influential individuals, as per Bloomberg.

The San Francisco-headquartered company is asking for feedback on the criteria for two weeks, until Dec. 8, and will publish its rules on Dec. 17.

Why It Matters: Twitter had paused its verification mechanism in 2017 as it sought to work to clear "confusion" the marks created as the blue check was often construed as an "endorsement or an indicator of importance."

The following year, a company official tweeted that updating the verification program wasn't "top priority" but rather Twitter's focus was on election integrity.

Price Action: Twitter shares closed nearly 0.6% higher at $45.23 on Tuesday and gained 0.13% in the after-hours session.

Benzinga's Take: The verification system still has apparent loopholes that can lead to security risks. This month, a verified account, @badger, pretended to be Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk on Twitter after changing the account name on a string of posts started by Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams -- attempting a cryptocurrency scam.