Twitter introduced verified accounts in 2009. The program launched in June of that year to help users distinguish authentic accounts belonging to public figures and organizations from impersonators and parody accounts.
The blue verification badge emerged after several high-profile identity disputes. Rapper Kanye West criticized fake accounts using his name, while baseball manager Tony La Russa sued Twitter over an impersonating account. These incidents highlighted the difficulty of knowing whether a prominent account was genuine.
Originally, Twitter proactively contacted notable people and organizations rather than accepting general public applications. In 2016, the company opened a public application process for accounts considered authentic, notable, and active, while emphasizing that verification did not mean Twitter endorsed their views.
The system changed substantially after Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022. Paid subscription verification was introduced, and additional gold and gray markers appeared for organizations and government-affiliated accounts. Those later changes should not be confused with the original verification program introduced in 2009.