YouTube Creators May Lose Verified Badges As Verification Process Becomes Stricter

YouTube is rolling out changes to its verification program for creators, making it tougher for growing channels to earn a checkmark beside their name and removing verification badges from people who don’t meet the heightened criteria. An anonymous Slashdot reader shares a report from The Verge: YouTube’s current system allows anyone with more than 100,000 subscribers to be verified. Now, YouTube is emphasizing verifying prominent channels that have a “clear need for proof of authenticity,” according to the company. This includes traditional YouTubers, musicians, comedians, and artists, among others. Verification is an extremely important feature for creators. It affects which creators get top recommendations when people search for something on YouTube. Channels that no longer meet the criteria and may have their badge removed will be notified today, YouTube confirmed to The Verge. Creators will have the option to appeal the decision before the change takes place in late October. The criteria for verification due to prominence essentially looks at whether a creator or channel is recognizable enough both in and outside of YouTube that the company needs to authenticate them. The company’s authenticity rules are pretty simple: a channel has to be owned and operated by the person or company it claims to be in order to get a checkmark or other verification mark. For example, Beyonce’s official channel should get a new artist profile icon and a musical note beside her name to show people that the page belongs to the real Beyonce. Under the new policy, YouTube’s team will handle verification on their end, according to a press release. Channels that meet the new requirements don’t have to apply for verification as it will automatically be handed out.