On the occasion of Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi has chosen to swap his profile picture for the national flag on X (formerly known as Twitter). In a call to action, he encouraged others to follow suit. Typically, altering display pictures to commemorate special events like Independence Day is a simple act. However, the recent modifications in Twitter’s regulations for verified users have introduced complexities. Numerous prominent political figures have inadvertently lost their prized blue or gold checkmarks after adopting the ‘Tiranga’ profile picture.
Among the notable leaders who have seen their gold ticks vanish are Haryana’s Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar; Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhammi; and Goa’s Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant. A substantial number of verified users on the X platform have now come to realize that changing their profile picture to the Indian tricolor could potentially lead to the loss of their esteemed blue verification badge.
The Disappearance of Blue and Gold Verification Badges: What’s Behind It?
Twitter’s Blue verification badge, now rebranded as ‘X Premium’, underwent a change in its verification process in the latter part of the previous year. Departing from the method of verifying public figures based on identity, occupation, and popularity, Twitter shifted its approach to charging users for obtaining the Blue Tick. In India, this involves a monthly fee of Rs 900 when paid through the Android or iOS app, and Rs 650 when paid via the website.
Given that a considerable number of new users opted to purchase the blue verification badge, and many of them possessed usernames that matched those of celebrities or politicians, the prevalence of the blue tick inadvertently contributed to the dissemination of misinformation. As a response, Twitter introduced fresh guidelines to address this challenge.
According to the X Premium listing, “Modifications to your profile photo, display name, or username (@handle) will lead to a temporary removal of the blue checkmark until your account is revalidated to ensure it continues to meet our stipulated requirements. No further alterations to your profile photo, display name, or username will be permissible during this review period.”
This announcement clarifies that the blue verification badge will be reinstated after a thorough review by the X team of the subscribed Twitter Blue account, and a determination that it remains in compliance with the platform’s stipulated criteria.
In the spirit of the #HarGharTiranga movement, let us change the DP of our social media accounts and extend support to this unique effort which will deepen the bond between our beloved country and us.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 13, 2023
