Get verified on Mastodon by Twitter
There’s no doubt that Mastodon, a federated, decentralized, community-based social network founded in 2016, has seen an explosion in growth since Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover of Twitter. With millions of new members joining either as their primary social network or as a backup option in case or if Twitter implodes, it’s only natural that questions need to be asked.
Questions about how secure a Mastodon platform is or what I need to know about Mastodon’s data protection? I have already tried to answer both; Follow the links above for the articles here on forbes. Another popular question is how do I verify my identity on Mastodon? This is something that is especially relevant to those who are crossing over from Twitter and may have had a large following or even a duly justified blue verification tick.
Become “Verified” on Mastodon on Twitter
The easiest way to verify that you are who you say you are, for example from an “I’m a happy geek on Twitter” perspective, is to include a unique link to your Mastodon account in your Set a twitter profile and then link to it from your mastodon.
However, not everyone will bother to click links and return to Twitter to check things like this. Many potential followers want a simple visual cue that you are who you say you are. The blue tick verification thing doesn’t exist on Mastodon and the $8 Twitter Blue subscription process devalues it on the bird side.
Wait, you might think I’ve seen a lot of accounts with blue ticks on Mastodon; What are you talking about? Good argument. I have one. I also have one with a red line, and both show up on my profile and next to my username. These are just symbols that anyone can apply and they mean nothing more than that.
Green profile links and check marks indicate verification on Mastodon
Which is problematic, since identity theft is just as much a thing on Mastodon as it is on Twitter, and potentially harder to prevent. Admins of already overhauled Mastodon instances (think servers or servers) can check the account and ban the obvious ones, but there are many instances on Mastodon, making catching them all next to impossible. Luckily, there are ways to confirm that you are who you say you are, or were, on Twitter that come with more seriousness. No one is 100% perfect, but what about life, especially online life? In mastodon terms, these come with a green link and check mark on your mastodon profile.
The Twittodon option to check links to Twitter and Mastodon accounts
Twittodon is probably the fastest way to link your Twitter and Mastodon accounts
Twittodon is a free tool that checks the connection between Twitter and Mastodon accounts and provides the important green link and check mark. Twittodon creator Tomasz Dunia says the main goal, however, is to “build a great database of verified Twitter Mastodon connections” that “allows your followers to find you.” It does this without having to pass your credentials to either platform. This can be a barrier to using these tools that try to export followers from Twitter and import them into Mastodon, especially for more security-conscious users. Once you have consented to the processing of your data (a link to the privacy policy will be provided), enter your Twitter username and Mastodon account, for example in the form [email protected] For example I am [email protected] Then press the big connect button. That’s it as far as adding to the database goes. To get the green link and tick, create a new entry in the metadata area of your Mastodon profile and use the link provided by Twittodon.
The Fedified option for outdated Twitter verified users
Fedified connects obsolete Twitter verified users to their Mastodon accounts
If you’re already verified on Twitter, there’s a service called Fedified that checks that verification, if you know what I mean. There are of course some caveats. First, the service is only open to residents of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Fedified says this is “due to region-specific data storage requirements that are beyond the scope of this free public service.” Your Twitter verification must also have been set up before November 5, 2022. That means only what Twitter now calls “legacy verifications” are eligible. I call those genuine verifications backed by material identification and notability requirements rather than a blue $8 bailout. Fedified acts as a centralized directory of verified Twitter users who can also be found on Mastodon, which has caused controversy among some Mastodon users who feel it goes against the decentralized nature of the network. You’ll have to make up your own mind about this, but assuming you’re using the service, it also provides a green verified Mastodon link between your account and this directory on your profile. So if you’re looking for another way to maintain that Twitter verified status on another social network, Fediverse might be the right choice.
The non-Twitter option for any Mastodon user who wants to verify their identity
I have already mentioned the Mastodon profile metadata section where the verified green links appear after using the above services. But you don’t need to use any special tool to get Mastodon verification here; There is a built-in method that anyone can use. Rather than linking your Mastodon account to your Twitter account, you can instead link it to your website or blog with a simple bit of code. Sure, it’s open to abuse, as a determined attacker might bother setting up a website just for that purpose, but it’s unlikely to be effective if someone actually clicks on the link. Although it could serve as the start of a phishing exercise from a security perspective, I think, but I digress. All you have to do is paste a link on your website in the following format:
A simple code on your website is enough
It’s possible to do this with a plugin if you’re a WordPress user, with the Gutenberg editor’s social icons block having a mastodon icon option to make this easier than ever. Once that’s done, just use a link to your website in the metadata section of your profile checking for the string “rel=me” and the green link and check mark will appear.
The PressCheck option for journalists looking for Mastodon account verification
In the days before Musk, Twitter had a sizable team of staff tasked with verifying the identities of notable accounts, including those of honorable journalists. This team checked references, published articles and the like before granting the old blue tick (yes, I know the “tick” is white or black depending on how dark mode is used) used to visually verify such accounts. Those days are over. While Twitter now has some sort of verification process with different color ticks for government or media organizations, the blue tick is part of the Twitter Blue subscription package. Aside from being able to provide personal information and payment details, it’s unclear how this actually verifies someone to any meaningful degree. So it’s no wonder that those blue ticks have since been devalued on Twitter. Even now, my legacy review says I “may or may not be remarkable,” even though I passed the original strict requirements, presumably because I’m not paying $8 a month. Actually it would be more than I use an iPhone and Twitter put a secondary tax on iPhone users.
PressCheck offers journalists mastodon verification
PressCheck, founded by Dave Lee, a respected Financial Times technology reporter, fills the gap for members of the press to Mastodon. Lee says the point isn’t to define what a journalist is, but that they are who they say they are. So freelancers and newsletter writers can apply just as much as salaried reporters and editors of mainstream media publications. An application form must be filled out, and PressCheck’s volunteer team then does the donkey work to ensure the verification can go ahead. Tweeting a link to a Mastodon account from an established Twitter account is the best way to speed up the process. However, background information and links to work are required for freelancers and newsletter writers. Upon acceptance, a PressCheck profile is created and this database record is used for the metadata link in your Mastodon profile.
