Bluesky is rolling out blue checks of its own for “authentic and notable accounts,” the platform announced on Monday. For now, the decentralized network says it will “proactively verify” these accounts, granting them a checkmark in a blue circle next to their account name.
Bluesky is also giving some organizations “Trusted Verifier” status, allowing organizations like The New York Times to verify users affiliated with them. Bluesky’s moderation team will then review each verification “to ensure authenticity.” Trusted Verifiers will have a checkmark in a scalloped circle next to their account name, instead of a rounded one.
This builds on Bluesky’s existing self-verification system, which lets users set a domain as their username, such as “@benstiller.redhour.com.” But Bluesky’s new system should make it easier for independent journalists and creators to get verified, as they no longer have to link their account to a domain that they may not have access to. It should also help keep impersonators at bay, which has become a bigger problem after the platform experienced a surge in growth late last year.
Although Bluesky won’t let users apply for verified or trusted verifier status just yet, the platform plans to take requests “once the feature stabilizes based on feedback.” You can see which organization verified a user by selecting the account’s blue checkmark. There is also a way to hide verification by heading to Settings > Moderation > Verification Settings in the app.