Twitter's verification process is touted to be one of the most stringent and a tedious process. The micro-blogging platform's verification process has been put on hold many times and briefly opened for public to request the coveted blue badge. But there's no guarantee that Twitter will grant users' wish for a blue tick as the process can go through various levels of verifications and checklists. But in what appears to be a major oversight, Twitter gave away its verified badge to at least six fake profiles, including one of a cat, which probably doesn't exist.
According to Daily Dot, the six accounts that were likely a part of a spam botnet were verified by Twitter, despite the profiles allegedly using fake photos created by software similar to This Person Does Not Exist. But the profile of a cat just picked the most adorable photo from cute cat wallpapers from Pinterest boards.
Twitter accepts gaffe
"We mistakenly approved the verification applications of a small number of inauthentic (fake) accounts. We have now permanently suspended the accounts in question, and removed their verified badge, under our platform manipulation and spam policy," a Twitter spokesperson told Gizmodo over email early Tuesday, confirming the gaffe.
The fake verified profiles were first spotted by Twitter user Conspirador Norteno, a data scientist focused on disinformation. He noted that these fake profiles hadn't tweeted and had roughly 1,000 followers. Incidentally, these profiles shared common followers, all of which were created between June 19 and 20 and appear like spam botnet.
"Meet @aykacmis, @degismece, @anlamislar, @aykacti, @kayitlii, and @donmedim, a sextet of blue-check verified Twitter accounts created on June 16th, 2021. None has yet tweeted and all have roughly 1000 followers (and mostly the same followers)," he said in a tweet.
"Two of these six accounts (@kayitlii and @aykacti) have photographs of people as their profile pics. Despite the presence of the blue verification checkmark, neither image is likely to depict the account holder as both images appear to be stolen," he added.
All of these accounts have since been suspended.
Twitter refuses to indulge details
The question of who might be behind the verification of these fake profiles is one for conspirators. Twitter hasn't revealed that information. It could be an error on some employee's part or as Alex Stamos, Facebook former chief security officer, suggests could be "an inside job."
"You might have a malicious or bribed insider. Something similar happened at IG (paid off by spammers, in that case)," he said in a tweet.
In December last year, Twitter revamped its verification policy, which came into effect in January - three years after it discontinued the process. Twitter said it would start assigning blue badge to six types of accounts, including, government and companies; brands and non-profit organisations; news; entertainment; sports; activists, organisers and other influential individuals.
