Musk says Twitter will "tentatively" launch new verification service next week

The Elon Musk Twitter account seen displayed on a smartphone and Twitter logo in the background. Photo: Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Twitter will "tentatively" roll out a new verification service on Dec. 2, Elon Musk tweeted Friday, the latest revision to his checkmark system plans as the new owner of the social media platform.

Driving the news: The service will feature different colored "verified" checkmarks for different types of accounts, per Musk, which he's previously suggested.

  • Twitter will manually authenticate the accounts before the check activates, Musk added, calling the tactic "painful, but necessary."
  • "Gold check for companies, grey check for government, blue for individuals (celebrity or not)."
  • In another tweet, Musk said all individuals will have the same blue checkmark — citing the subjectiveness of determining who is considered "notable" — but that "individuals can have secondary tiny logo showing they belong to an org if verified as such by that org."
  • "Longer explanation next week," he added.

State of play: Earlier this month, Twitter suspended the launch of the revamped $7.99 monthly subscription service that comes with a blue checkmark next to users' names, after a spate of newly-verified checkmark users embarked on fraudulent pranks.

  • Musk said then the relaunch would be on hold until Nov. 29.
  • Earlier this week, Musk said he was "holding off" on the relaunch of Twitter Blue Verified until "there is high confidence of stopping impersonation."
  • Musk had also previously launched a separate "official" label to verify an account's legitimacy outside of the blue checkmark, but later announced that he had "killed it."

The big picture: Musk has made establishing a new verification system a priority since taking over Twitter in October and firing thousands of staff members. The company no longer has a comms team.

Go deeper: Twitter's checkmark chaos

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