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MoS for IT changes username, temporarily loses verified badge on Twitter
According to the Twitter verification policy, an account holder’s blue verified badge gets removed as soon as they change their username. An account could also lose its verification for being inactive for a period of six months
Union minister of state for electronics and information technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar changed his username on Twitter, losing his verified badge on the microblogging platform temporarily on Monday. He had changed his username from rajeev_mp to rajeev_GOI.
According to the Twitter verification policy, an account holder’s blue verified badge gets removed as soon as they change their username. An account could also lose its verification for being inactive for a period of six months. “We are in touch with the Honorable Minister’s office and worked swiftly to restore the verified blue badge,” Twitter said in a statement.
The minister hasn’t spoken on the issue yet.
Twitter has anyway been locked in a conflict with the Union government over the new social media and intermediary guidelines. Right after taking charge past Thursday, Chandrasekhar said, “The ministry doesn’t operate on a unilateral basis and this has nothing to do with individual views and opinions. The ministry will sit with the new Union Minister and address all these issues.”
Also Read | Assuring to note Twitter’s steps to comply with new rules: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Meanwhile, former Union minister for electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday lauded his successor, Ashwini Vaishnaw, for strongly asserting the need to comply with the social media and intermediary guidelines, while also highlighting that Twitter was taking steps to follow the rules.
“Greetings to the new IT Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw for firmly reiterating that the new IT Rules are designed to empower the safety & security of users against misuse and redress their grievances,” Prasad wrote on Twitter.
The former union minister was locked in an escalating battle with the social media over compliance with the new guidelines, even going so far as to say that Twitter was not entitled to protection under the IT Act’s safe harbour clause.
