Bluesky’s New Verification System

Bluesky is expected to introduce a new blue checkmark verification system, as indicated by recent changes to the app’s public GitHub repository, which were spotted by reverse engineer alice.mosphere.at.

How it Works

The blue checks on Bluesky may resemble those on Twitter, now X, but the underlying system is likely to be quite different. Bluesky’s verification system may rely on multiple organizations to distribute blue checks, suggesting that the platform will verify notable accounts and also designate certain organizations as "trusted verifiers" to issue blue checks directly.

Announcement and Launch

The changes to Bluesky’s verification system may be announced as early as Monday, according to a blog post link found in the pull request titled "verification," dated April 21, 2025. This development is consistent with CEO Jay Graber’s previous hints that the company would explore alternative verification methods.

Verified Users and Trusted Verifiers

The pull request includes an icon, a blue circle containing a white checkmark, which will appear on verified users’ profiles. Trusted verifiers, on the other hand, will have scalloped blue circles containing a white checkmark on their profiles. An image spotted in Bluesky’s forthcoming announcement suggests that The New York Times and other trusted news publishers may soon have the ability to verify users in the blue check system.

Decentralized Verification

By tapping on a user’s blue check, other users can see which organizations have granted verification, according to the changes. This approach to verification is distinct from X’s system, which overhauled its verification services to only verify users who pay a monthly subscription, although Elon Musk has since walked back this decision.

Comparison to X

Bluesky’s decentralized approach to verification, spreading decision-making power to several organizations, differs significantly from X’s model. While X’s verification system has been criticized for diluting the value of a blue check, even allowing some bot accounts to be verified, Bluesky’s approach may result in a larger number of verified users. However, the effectiveness of this approach remains to be seen in practice.

Conclusion

Bluesky did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. As the platform prepares to launch its new verification system, it will be interesting to see how this decentralized approach plays out and whether it will achieve its intended goals.