YouTube has updated the policy under which verification badges are provided to certain users, according to reports circulating on the social media.
Many users of YouTube have taken to social networking websites Twitter and Facebook to complain that the video service has deprived them of verification badges.
The new policy introduced by YouTube is expected to go into full effect from early October, and includes tougher mechanisms for channels to get a check mark badge from the California-based company.
People failing to meet updated criteria will likely lose their verification badges next month, suggest reports.
Previously, channels with more than 100,000 subscribers were allowed to be verified. However, YouTube has decided to change this policy.
“Now, the video sharing website is emphasizing verifying prominent channels that have a clear need for proof of authenticity,” according to a report published by technology website The Verge.
The video platform has also decided to offer users who have their badges removed under the new policy the option to appeal, after which a final decision regarding their verification will be made.
According to the authenticity rules defined by YouTube, a channel has to be owned and operated by the person or company it claims to be in order to get a check mark or other verification mark.
“It should be easy to know when you’ve found the official YouTube channel of a creator, artist, brand, or public figure,” the video service said in a statement earlier this week.
“So in late October, we’re updating what it means for channels to be verified with a new eligibility criteria and a new look,” the company said in a post shared on Twitter.
