Twitter Removing Verification Badge From Some Accounts

(RTTNews) - Twitter Inc. (TWTR) said it will begin to remove verification badges from the accounts of users who violate its rules.

In a series of tweets explaining the policy change, Twitter said it can remove the blue verified badge on a user's account at any time without notice for behavior that does not fall within its new guidelines, including promoting hate and violence or inciting harassment of others.

"Verification has long been perceived as an endorsement. We gave verified accounts visual prominence on the service which deepened this perception. We should have addressed this earlier but did not prioritize the work as we should have," Twitter said on its official @TwitterSupport account.

Twitter added that the perception became worse when it opened up verification for public submissions and verified people who are not endorsed by the company in any way.

Earlier this month, the social network stopped the system of authenticating a user's identity with a blue check mark after drawing intense criticism for verifying the account of Jason Kessler, who is credited with orchestrating the white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia this August.

Twitter said it is working on a new authentication and verification program, and is not accepting any public submissions for verification in the meantime.

The company is also reviewing current verified accounts to make sure users meet the new guidelines for behavior.