If you’ve always wondered what it takes to get that little blue tick mark next to your name, you’re not the only one. It’s always been shrouded in secrecy so no one was ever really sure of how it happens, but now thanks to a new update, the feature is now easy to find, but might not be so easy to maintain.
Instagram’s co-founder and CTO Mike Krieger announced in a blog post that “accounts that reach large audiences” can now request to be verified from within the app itself. This announcement enables public figures or business owners to have more say in whether or not their page becomes verified.
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To apply for verification, go to your profile and select “Settings,” from the drop-down menu. From there, you can choose “Request Verification.”
You’re gonna have to prove who you are though. Instagram’s release states that those who request verification must provide their full name and their legal (or business) ID. From there, the app will review requests and determine whether or not to grant the applicant that coveted blue icon.
Of course, just because you’ve applied for verification doesn’t mean you’ll get it. The Instagram Help Center states that, to be verified, accounts must be the only account representing a real person or business, must be complete and feature a bio, must be public, and must be considered “notable.”
According to Wired, the new “Request Verification” feature is part of Instagram’s latest effort to make the app more secure. The app is also rolling out a new “About This Account” feature for accounts that are widely followed.
READ MORE: Will Instagram and Facebook’s new feature change our scrolling habits?
Starting August 28th, users will be able to tap the three dots by an account’s name to see information like where the account is based, when it was created, and any username changes it has undergone. Instagram has also begun to support third-party authenticator apps to make your account harder to hack.
"Keeping people with bad intentions off our platform is incredibly important to me," Krieger wrote in his post. “That means trying to make sure the people you follow and the accounts you interact with are who they say they are, and stopping bad actors before they cause harm."
Which is all really great and will hopefully stop hacking and fake accounts doing the rounds.
But now, which local celebs do you think should be verified? This is our list.
Nomzamo Mbatha
Thando Thabete
Lorna Maseko
Thulisile Phongolo
Connie Ferguson
Gail Mabalane
Thembi Seete
Dineo Ranaka
Kefilwe Mabote
Omuhle Gela
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