Twitter check marks explained: What Blue, Gold, and Gray mean

Don't count on these definitions staying the same for long

- ALAINA YEE

The saga of verified accounts on Twitter has reached its end. (Finally.) After months of beleaguered changes, the program that once identified notable accounts—like those held by journalists, major corporations, and public figures—has faded permanently into the past.

However, the blue check marks originally signifying verified status aren’t disappearing. Instead their meaning is now different. Check marks of other colors have now joined the line-up, too.

You can boil the whole system down to a set of subscriber badges, with distinctions between each one. We’ve explained them for you below, but be warned: Twitter has continually shifted its approach to check marks and how they’re applied to accounts. What’s current now might not be so in even just a couple of weeks.

As for being sure a Twitter account is official, you’ll now need to verify the account name (that is, cross-check against an official website) on your own.

BLUE CHECK MARK