Twitter starts removing verified status from accounts that violate guidelines

Twitter has announced that it has begun revoking the verified status from some accounts that promote racism and hatred. White supremacists Jason Kessler and Richard Spencer are among the users who no longer have a blue tick mark on their Twitter profiles.

Earlier this month, Twitter stopped the process of verifying users account saying that "verification has been perceived as an endorsement." Twitter said yesterday that it has stopped accepting public submissions as it reviews the program and "removes verification from accounts whose behavior does not fall within its guidelines."

Under its new guidelines, Twitter will now remove verification for “behaviors on and off Twitter,” including promoting hate and violence; threatening people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability or disease; supporting hate groups; harassing others and violent behavior. Accounts can, however, still tweet after losing verification.

5 / We are conducting an initial review of verified accounts and will remove verification from accounts whose behavior does not fall within these new guidelines. We will continue to review and take action as we work towards a new program we are proud of.

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 15, 2017

The move comes a week after Twitter verified the account of Jason Kessler, who organized the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in August, drawing severe criticism for the social networking company. Apart from Kessler and Spencer, other users who have lost their verification badges include Laura Loomer and Tommy Robinson.