Journalists in countries like Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, and the US, to mention a few can now register to protect their Facebook profiles and apply for the Blue Badge Verification.
According to the company, the registration feature, which could also extend to Instagram, provides protection of information and online presence on Facebook against harassment and potential hacking threats for journalists and media professionals who are at a higher risk of online abuse and harm.
Journalists who have registered will also have access to CrowdTangle Search. Acquired in 2016, CrowdTangle is an 8-year old tool that publishers use to track how content spreads around the web, for an undisclosed sum. By showing its subscribers a kind of real-time pulse of the web, CrowdTangle has developed an outsized but mostly hidden influence on the stories they see popping up in their news feeds throughout the day.
The Facebook Blue Badge Verification lets users know that an account is authentic.
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“If you see a verified badge on a Page or profile, it means that Facebook confirmed that this is the authentic Page or profile for this public figure, media company, or brand,” the company noted in a post. “Keep in mind that verified badges are for well-known, often searched Pages and profiles. Not all public figures, celebrities, and brands on Facebook have a verified badge.”
Journalists and news media professionals are encouraged to register as a journalist using their personal Facebook account.
