Twitter Reportedly Delays Changes to Verification Badges Until After Election

From CNET: Twitter is postponing the rollout of verification badges connected to an $8 monthly subscription service until after Tuesday's midterm elections, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Twitter made the decision after reports circulated that the pay-for-verification setup could launch as soon as Monday. On Saturday, version notes for the latest iteration of Twitter's app for the Apple iPhone showed up in the App Store, with a What's New section that pointed to the verification feature as part of the Twitter Blue subscription service.

The notes told users that "starting today" if you "sign up now" for Twitter Blue, "your account will get a blue checkmark, just like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow." It appears, though, that the program hadn't actually kicked in yet.

"Power to the people," the announcement said.

Twitter has traditionally provided verified badges to accounts for free after the company determines the user is "authentic, notable and active." The blue check mark is meant to signal to users that an account of a celebrity, journalist, politician or other public figure isn't fake.

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