Blue tick verification symbol is a coveted badge of honour, only awarded to the most prominent and notable figures on the platform. But imagine the shock and outrage when it was revealed that none other than Taliban members had managed to get their hands on the coveted blue tick. According to a recent BBC report, at least two top Taliban officials and four prominent supporters of the group were displaying the blue tick on their profiles. However, it is worth noting that their verification badges have since been removed, and it remains unclear exactly how they managed to get them in the first place.
Four well-known Taliban supporters and at least two Taliban officials are said to have the Blue Tick on their profiles, according to a BBC report. Hedayatullah Hedayat, head of the Taliban's department for "access to information," and Abdul Haq Hammad, head of the media watchdog in the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture, each have close to 170,000 supporters. However, it is unclear what happened to the verification badges as neither Twitter nor Musk have commented on the issue.
The revelation has sparked a massive outrage on the internet and social media, with many calling for Twitter to review its verification process. Twitter has recently announced a new verification program for organisations that will help them distinguish themselves as well as their network on the platform. Companies can fill out a form to request early access to the verification process. Whether this will be sufficient to reestablish confidence in the platform's verification procedure, though, remains to be seen.
FAQ
Q: What is Twitter Blue?
A: Twitter Blue is a subscription service offered by Twitter that allows users to pay a monthly fee of $8 in order to get verified on the platform. With this subscription, users are also given priority ranking in search, mentions and replies.
Q: Why were Taliban members able to get verified on Twitter?
A: According to a BBC report, at least two Taliban officials and four prominent supporters of the group were able to purchase the Twitter Blue subscription and get verified on the platform. However, it is unclear how they were able to do so as Twitter's verification policy previously required users to submit documents proving their eligibility for verification. It is also unclear if their verification badges have since been removed.
