Bluesky is poised to introduce a new verification system featuring a blue checkmark, with recent updates to its public GitHub repository indicating significant changes. Unlike the traditional method once popularized by Twitter, now known as X, Bluesky’s verification process is expected to operate quite differently.
The newly proposed system will likely involve multiple organizations in the distribution of blue checks. This strategic move suggests that Bluesky intends to actively verify notable accounts while designating certain organizations as “trusted verifiers.” These trusted entities would have the authority to issue blue checks directly, broadening the scope of verification beyond a single centralized platform.
According to information discovered in a recent pull request dated April 21, 2025, these changes might officially be announced as early as Monday. Currently, Bluesky allows users to self-verify by linking their accounts to official websites, but indications from CEO Jay Graber suggest an exploration into alternative verification methods. Graber hinted last year at possibly creating a system in which Bluesky is not the sole verifier of user accounts.
The pull request also revealed an icon for the blue check system: a blue circle featuring a white checkmark for verified users’ profiles. Trusted verifiers, on the other hand, will display a scalloped blue circle with a white checkmark on their profiles. An image accompanying Bluesky’s upcoming announcement suggests that entities like The New York Times, along with other trusted news publishers, may soon gain the capability to verify users within this new framework.
Users will have the ability to click on another user’s blue check to see which organizations have granted their verification, offering transparency in the verification process. This decentralized approach contrasts sharply with the verification services of X. Initially, X allocated blue checks to popular and authentic accounts. However, under the direction of Elon Musk, the system underwent a transformation, requiring users to pay a subscription for verification. Although this decision was later partially revised to grant blue checks to certain influential users without charge, the original value of the blue check on X is seen by some as diminished, allowing even some bot accounts to achieve verification.
Bluesky appears committed to a more decentralized and inclusive approach, involving numerous organizations in verification decisions. While this could lead to widespread verification across its platform, the practical outcomes of this method remain to be observed. Bluesky has not yet commented on these developments in response to inquiries from TechCrunch.