Guardian Life | Features

You Can Now Apply For A Verification Badge On Instagram

By Chidirim Ndeche | 29 August 2018 | 10:00 am

If you are on the road to social media fame or just like the idea of having a blue verification badge next to your Instagram name, then the route to this goal has become a little bit easier.

In the past, the blue tick that signifies a verified account was reserved for celebrities, notable public figures, big businesses and accounts with a lot of followers.

Instagram verification. Photo: TechCrunch

But the latest Instagram feature now allows users to apply for the verified badge. Instagram noted that it will “review verification requests to confirm the authenticity, uniqueness, completeness and notability of each account.”

In a message posted on Tuesday announcing the increased access to verification, Instagram co-founder and chief technology officer Mike Krieger described the blue badge as “an important way for you to know that the account you are interacting with is the authentic presence of a notable public figure, celebrity, global brand or entity.” He added that verified accounts are usually ones that “reach large audiences.” To have a chance of getting a blue badge, you must also comply with Instagram’s terms of service and community guidelines.

How to apply

If you have a decent-sized following and fancy your chances, here’s how to apply:

On your profile page, tap the menu icon, select “Settings” at the bottom, and then choose “Request Verification”.
Provide your account username, your full name and a legal form of identification. Instagram promises not to share this information publicly.
After reviewing your request, IG will get back to you shortly with whether or not you’ve been approved.

Kreiger doesn’t say how long the process is likely to take. But he points out that the platform “will never request payment for verification or reach out to ask you to confirm your verification.”

Other changes

This is not the only change that Instagram is making, however. There are new “About” pages which feature more detailed information about an account, including how long it’s been on the service, its country location, any username changes, and any ads that the account run. You can view the About page by tapping on the profile and then on the menu icon, and finally on “About this Account.” It is only available for high-profile accounts.

These changes are part of efforts to reassure followers that the account they’re following is genuine, and follows similar moves made recently by its parent company, Facebook.

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