Observed Signal · Nov 9, 2022 · Technical Release · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Twitter Introduces Official Grey Verification Badge
Twitter is pausing the relaunch of its Blue verification while considering new verification options, including a grey 'Official' badge and a potential color for organizational accounts. Elon Musk stated that hiring will resume after substantial layoffs reduced staff from about 7,500 to around 2,700, and that employees must provide regular progress updates; some perks have been cut following internal reports. The pause is driven by concern over impersonation, with The Verge noting impersonation as a major risk prompting a new plan before more blue badges are issued. The platform continues to experiment with identity verification and hints at upcoming features under Twitter 2.0, such as end-to-end encrypted Direct Messages and encrypted voice/video chats. Advertiser confidence has been challenged amid platform turmoil, though user growth has persisted. The article also references leaked internal communications and ongoing leadership changes as context for the platform’s trajectory.
Technical Release of a major platform feature impacting account verification/identity
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Elon Musk announced a halt to layoffs and new recruitment plans for Twitter.
- Blue verification for Twitter Blue subscribers is paused; a grey 'Official' badge may indicate official accounts; a color differentiation for organizations was discussed.
- Twitter staff reportedly fell from around 7,500 to about 2,700; weekly progress updates from employees were requested; some perks were cut.
- The platform aims to introduce features under Twitter 2.0, including end-to-end encrypted Direct Messages and encrypted video/voice chats.
- Twitter has seen user growth (1.6 million in a week cited), but advertiser trust has been strained due to verification-related issues.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Reddit Tests Verified Profiles with Grey Checkmark
Reddit has announced a test of a verified-profile feature, introducing a gray checkmark that can be shown next to a user's name. A limited group of users, including public figures and Reddit partners, will participate in the opt-in verification. Reddit emphasizes that verification is voluntary and not a mechanism for raising status, aiming instead to clarify identity in contexts where verification matters (e.g., AMA hosts, journalists, brands) and to ease moderator work. Benefits for verified users may include the gray checkmark across profiles, communities, feeds, and search results, access to Reddit Pro, and a company badge/watermark replacement for AMAs or announcements. Eligibility requires a properly maintained account and regular activity; application is not currently open. Reddit notes the feature preserves pseudonymity, and more information will follow as the rollout expands. Bluesky has also introduced a blue-hued verification this year as a comparison.
Windows 11 Search Upgrade, Copilot Gets File Access
Microsoft announced two upcoming updates for Windows 11: an enhanced search feature and expanded Copilot capabilities. The new search allows users to directly adjust settings like dark mode, take screenshots, and change volume from the search bar, with future ability to compose and send messages. Copilot's 'Hybrid Intelligence' feature, introduced at a Microsoft event, enables the AI to access local files and perform actions across the OS, such as finding, renaming, zipping documents, and attaching them to emails. Jacob Andreou, EVP of Copilot, demonstrated this in a tax return example. The rollout will be gradual, requiring user permission for file access. The search upgrade is expected later this year, with no exact date specified.
Publishers Use Registration Walls to Fight AI Traffic Decline
As referral traffic from search engines declines, especially due to AI Overviews, publishers are increasingly turning to registration walls to convert anonymous visitors into known users. This strategy aims to deepen engagement, gather first-party data for better ad targeting, and potentially increase programmatic ad rates. The Verge plans to test a hard registration wall on a cohort of readers. Publishers report that registered users can yield ad rates up to eight times higher. However, some publishers found that registration walls do not always lead to subscriptions, and for many, the revenue from subscriptions is insufficient to offset traffic losses. The trend reflects a broader shift towards first-party data and known audiences in response to AI-driven changes in search and referral traffic.
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