Twitter brings official tag for government and business accounts

Twitter has announced a new 'Official' tag for government and select business accounts, which will not be available for purchase. The company says the new label would help users distinguish between Twitter Blue subscribers with blue checkmarks and verified accounts "official," such as government accounts and Twitter's home page. The feature is slowly rolling out in select markets, but a full timeline still needs to be determined. Following the acquisition of Elon Musk nearly two weeks ago, the company announced that it is updating its verification system and that anyone with a Twitter Bue subscription can get the blue tick next to their profile name. However, the announcement raised concerns about the authenticity of the blue badge.

The new announcement comes from Twitter Vice President Esther Crawford, who oversees the updated Twitter Blue subscription. In a series of tweets, she told, "A lot of folks have asked about how you'll be able to distinguish between Twitter Blue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we're introducing the 'Official' label to select accounts when we launch." Crawford also clarified that not all pre-verified accounts will earn the 'Official' label, and the accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers, and some public figures. The label sits below the profile name, as indicated by a screenshot shared by Crawford.

This means official accounts may not need to get a Twitter Blue subscription to retain the verified badge, though more clarity is expected. Twitter had previously said that existing verified users would need to get the $8 Blue subscription to keep the verified badge. Blue subscription prices will vary across markets, and it has not yet launched in India. Crawford has clarified that Twitter Blue does not include identity verification, although it is an optional method. The company will "continue to experiment with ways to differentiate between account types."