With threats to sue last in June 2009 from people like the St. Louis Cardinal’s manager, Tony La Russa, Twitter has come up with verified accounts. Mashable was among the many that reported on this change after Twitter introduce the verified account feature and their reaction to the increasing impersonation attempts.
Right now, verified accounts is in the beta mode, but I do not blame Twitter for this. I have even been imitated online, and I am a nobody. 😆 Of course, I am someone in my circles, but not those who are in the celebrity spotlight. When I talk to someone on twitter, I want them to be the real thing. Unfortunately, celebrities have been harassed by fans who doubt their authenticity. Live examples can be seen on profiles like Trent Reznor, Robert Scoble, and Alyssa Milano.
As for my thoughts, kudos to Twitter for this. I am hoping with time this can be extended to others, whether it might be a simple (and hopefully not expensive) paid service that requires some honest verification.
What do you think of Twitter verified accounts? Have you been impersonated? What other things do you think Twitter should do besides this verified account experiment?
Blondish.net – New blog post: An Afterthought: Twitter Verified Accounts http://bit.ly/uGJY5