Twitter strips verification badges from white nationalists after unveiling new guidelines

Formerly verified white nationalists such as Richard Spencer and Jason Kessler, who organized the Charlottesville protest, found their accounts Wednesday without the blue checkmark signifying a verified account.

Twitter has long given away the checkmark badges to authenticate public figures, however, the company recently came under scrutiny for doling out the badge to controversial figures such Spencer and Kessler.

“Verification was meant to authenticate identity & voice but it is interpreted as an endorsement or an indicator of importance,” Twitter Support explained earlier this month. “We recognize that we have created this confusion and need to resolve it.”

On Wednesday, Twitter followed up to this prior announcement by unveiling a plan to handle the situation, writing: “We are conducting an initial review of verified accounts and will remove verification from accounts whose behavior does not fall within these new guidelines. We will continue to review and take action as we work towards a new program we are proud of.”

More verified accounts could soon lose their checkmark for a number of reasons including inciting, promoting, and engaging in harassment, violence, and/or hate.

After the announcement was made, Spencer and Kessler found themselves unverified as well as former Congressman and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke and far-right activist Laura Loomer.

In response, Loomer tweeted “Twitter just emailed me to tell me they are removing my ‘verified badge’ because they claim my account ‘doesn’t comply with Twitter’s guidelines for verified accounts.’ Translation: I’m a conservative.”

The social media company made the change just one week after users raised awareness of the recent verification of Kessler, who played a key role in the Charlottesville violence and temporarily suspended the verification process.