Bluesky, the new social media platform on the rise, has recently rolled out verification for users looking to verify their accounts. This new initiative aims to establish a system that illuminates “extraordinary” people in various disciplines and areas. In doing so, it will increase the quality and therefore strength of its ecosystem of users. Bluesky’s domain-based verification has really caught on, with over 270,000 accounts using it. This tremendous early uptake underscores the great interest in adding this popular feature.
The verification process for Bluesky is meant to evaluate users on a variety of indicators of notability. The company emphasizes that it considers the “overall context and public interest value of each account.” This multi-pronged approach attempts to sidestep the central authority because of both the design and moderation processes that have burdened other social platforms.
Like X/Twitter and Meta’s apps, Bluesky’s verification system is based on a blue checkmark verification badge, which is supposed to indicate an account’s notability. Some users have voiced concerns about this badge. Critics have called this a rehash of the clout-chasing culture that dominated on Twitter—now X. In particular, they are concerned that the blue badge produces a hierarchy between users. Certain individuals might even be perceived as deserving of greater privilege than their peers.
Bluesky supports domain-based verification, a powerful feature that gives users the ability to verify their accounts using associated domains. With user control, this approach gives users the ability to contribute to their own credibility. Unlike other verification systems, it liberates them from having to depend upon a single, centralized third party.
Another social media platform, Deer, which has forked from Bluesky but is still in beta, takes a more democratic approach to verification. Deer enables end-users to select their own trusted verifiers. This important feature can go a long way toward alleviating worries about a top-down, hierarchical verification system.
Even after doing all this, not all of their users are happy with the rollout of this new blue verification badge. Critics say that Tumblr’s new policy loops users in an arbitrary binary system, a move that goes against the platform’s creative, collaborative spirit.
Bluesky has noted that they verify accounts belonging to “real persons, registered businesses, organizations, or legitimate entities.” This broad definition perhaps establishes an intentionally high standard for who can earn verified status on the platform.
As a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011, Sarah has tracked the innovators and the inventions of technologies, and the broader societal impacts they create. She has worked for more than three years at ReadWriteWeb. On top of that, she brings experience in I.T. from the banking, retail, and software industries.
