(NewsNation) — Reddit is testing official badges for verified users to join the verification trend.
Unlike Twitter Blue, Reddit’s verified status will not be available for purchase. The site will assign badges to official accounts associated with institutions, brands, or personalities. Initially, the badges will be rolled out to those with whom Reddit already has a relationship.
Reddit receives more than one billion visitors per month according to Statista and has not offered any form of verification until now. Some subreddits have created informal verification systems for users.
Reddit will not introduce any additional features for verified users, and the badges will appear as a flair next to the username, visible on the site’s Android and IOS apps.
This lack of extra features and the restriction of the feature to accounts associated with brands or organizations makes the system similar to Twitter’s earlier versions of the blue checkmark. Twitter’s verification initially aimed to help users identify accounts from trusted institutions or brands that provide accurate and authentic information.
When Elon Musk took over the platform, he introduced Twitter Blue, which was available to anyone willing to pay a monthly subscription fee. Twitter Blue users are not required to confirm their identity to purchase the blue check.
The launch of Twitter Blue initially caused confusion on the platform due to a flood of fake accounts. This change, along with others implemented by Musk, led to a nearly 50% decrease in the company’s ad revenue.
The company stated that this move aims to enhance trust and authenticity on the site by allowing users to identify legitimate outlets and avoid impersonators.