Bluesky has introduced blue checks to verify “authentic and notable accounts” on the social media platform.
The new feature is reminiscent of the verification system adopted by Twitter before Elon Musk’s takeover of the app.
Bluesky said it will “proactively verify” accounts of individuals and organisations, placing blue check marks next to their names.
“Trust is everything,” Bluesky wrote in a blog post introducing the new feature.
“Social media has connected us in powerful ways, but it hasn’t always given us the tools to know who we’re interacting with or why we should trust them.”
Founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey in 2019, Bluesky shares similar design features to Twitter – now X – but is built on open protocols that hand more control to users.
This decentralised approach removes power from big tech platforms, while also making its algorithms more transparent. This approach aims to prevent issues like the spread of false information, which have plagued other social media companies.
User verification is seen as a crucial part of preventing misuse and improving user trust, with politicians, news organisations and celebrities among the notable accounts given a blue check mark.
The system was abandoned by X in 2023 after Elon Musk introduced a premium service that allowed anyone to pay to be verified.
Bluesky said it will not be accepting direct applications for verification during the initial roll out of the feature, although trusted verifiers like news organisations will be able to issue blue checks to their journalists directly.
“Bluesky’s moderation team reviews each verification to ensure authenticity,” the company said.
“When you tap on a verified account's blue check, you’ll see which organizations have granted verification.”
