On April 15th, Twitter is set to implement a new policy that will require users to verify their accounts to be considered for For You recommendations. This move comes in response to concerns about advanced AI bot swarms on the platform that have been known to take over conversations and influence the social media experience for other users. The verification process is one of the most effective ways to address this issue, as it makes it harder for bots and other malicious actors to impersonate legitimate accounts.
By requiring verification for recommendations, Twitter hopes to create a more trustworthy and authentic experience for users. Verified accounts have already undergone a process of validation by Twitter, which involves providing personal information to confirm their identity. This helps to ensure that accounts are genuine and reduces the likelihood of bots and fake accounts being recommended to users.
The announcement comes from CEO Elon Musk himself, which means that there’s no room for doubt. He wrote in his tweet:
Starting April 15th, only verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations.
The is the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over. It is otherwise a hopeless losing battle.
Voting in polls will require verification for same reason.
Starting April 15th, only verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations.
The is the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over. It is otherwise a hopeless losing battle.
Voting in polls will require verification for same reason.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 27, 2023
Furthermore, the requirement for verification will also extend to voting in polls. This means that only verified accounts will be able to participate in polls, ensuring that the results are accurate and reflective of genuine user opinions.
An interesting fact about Twitter is that its original name was actually “Twttr.” When the founders were developing the platform, they wanted to create a name that was short, catchy, and easy to remember. They eventually settled on “Twitter” because it evoked the idea of a bird chirping, which was a fitting analogy for the short, concise messages (or “tweets”) that users could send on the platform.