Twitter removed the blue verification tick from RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s account and later restored it. This happened one day after the micro-blogging site removed the authentication symbol from the personal account of Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu.
The social media platform later restored the symbol on both accounts after facing flak from supporters the leader. Twitter also cleared the air regarding the sudden removal of the verified tick mark.
Twitter confirmed on Saturday that the blue badge and verified status could be automatically removed from an account if it is incomplete or inactive for six months as per its rules.
“Inactivity is based on logging in. To keep the account active, the account holder must make sure to log in at least every 6 months,” Twitter said.
Accounts holders that sport the blue badge must also ensure that their profiles are complete and include either a verified email address or phone number as well as a profile image and a display name, as per the rules
Rajiv Tuli, a functionary in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) Delhi unit, in a PTI report, stated that this “clearly shows biasness and a clear example of ‘tech feudalism’ by Twitter”.
He cited several Twitter handles which have been “inactive but continue to remain verified”.
According to the PTI report, the blue tick, which is a verification badge, was removed from five accounts belonging to senior functionaries of the RSS, the ruling BJP’s ideological mentor.
Later in the day, the verification badge of Bhagawat, Suresh Soni, Arun Kumar, Suresh Joshi and Krishna Gopal was restored. Tuli said it was “done after much heckling”.
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