State Department: Calibri font was a DEI hire

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The US Department of State is unwinding a 2023 decision to use san-serif Calibri font on all official communications and switching to Times New Roman instead, The New York Times reports. In a memo obtained by NYT titled "Return to Tradition: Times New Roman 14-Point Font Required for All Department Paper," Secretary of State Marco Rubio frames the change as a way to return professionalism to the State Department.

"Switching to Calibri achieved nothing except the degradation of the department’s official correspondence," Rubio said in the memo. That's because the font is "informal" and clashes with the State Department's letterhead, according to Rubio, while serif fonts like Times New Roman "connote tradition, formality and ceremony."

Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken originally switched the State Department to Calibri in 2023 to improve the accessibility of official communications. The curvy, flourish-free lines of sans-serif fonts work better with assistive technologies like screen readers and text-to-speech tools. Serif fonts, meanwhile, are typically used in things like newspapers to make small, printed text legible.

While Rubio notes that Calibri "was not among the department’s most illegal, immoral, radical or wasteful instances of D.E.I.A.," it seems clear that Rubio lumps the font in with those same diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives. Getting rid of it is an easy (and weirdly petty) way to follow through on the second Trump administration's anti-DEI stance towards just about everything.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/state-department-calibri-font-was-a-dei-hire-190454957.html?src=rss

Hackers tricked ChatGPT, Grok and Google into helping them install malware

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Ever since reporting earlier this year on how easy it is to trick an agentic browser, I've been following the intersections between modern AI and old-school scams. Now, there's a new convergence on the horizon: hackers are apparently using AI prompts to seed Google search results with dangerous commands. When executed by unknowing users, these commands prompt computers to give the hackers the access they need to install malware.

The warning comes by way of a recent report from detection-and-response firm Huntress. Here's how it works. First, the threat actor has a conversation with an AI assistant about a common search term, during which they prompt the AI to suggest pasting a certain command into a computer's terminal. They make the chat publicly visible and pay to boost it on Google. From then on, whenever someone searches for the term, the malicious instructions will show up high on the first page of results.

Huntress ran tests on both ChatGPT and Grok after discovering that a Mac-targeting data exfiltration attack called AMOS had originated from a simple Google search. The user of the infected device had searched "clear disk space on Mac," clicked a sponsored ChatGPT link and — lacking the training to see that the advice was hostile — executed the command. This let the attackers install the AMOS malware. The testers discovered that both chatbots replicated the attack vector.

As Huntress points out, the evil genius of this attack is that it bypasses almost all the traditional red flags we've been taught to look for. The victim doesn't have to download a file, install a suspicious executable or even click a shady link. The only things they have to trust are Google and ChatGPT, which they've either used before or heard about nonstop for the last several years. They're primed to trust what those sources tell them. Even worse, while the link to the ChatGPT conversation has since been taken off Google, it was up for at least half a day after Huntress published their blog post.

This news comes at a time that's already fraught for both AIs. Grok has been getting dunked on for sucking up to Elon Musk in despicable ways, while ChatGPT creator OpenAI has been falling behind the competition. It's not yet clear if the attack can be replicated with other chatbots, but for now, I strongly recommend using caution. Alongside your other common-sense cybersecurity steps, make sure to never paste anything into your command terminal or your browser URL bar if you aren't certain of what it will do.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hackers-tricked-chatgpt-grok-and-google-into-helping-them-install-malware-185711492.html?src=rss

YouTube TV Plans will let you choose genre-specific content packages

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YouTube TV, which launched in 2017 as a $35-per-month all-in-one service, will soon introduce YouTube TV Plans. Although the announcement is light on details, we know the initiative will let you sign up for genre-specific packages, such as sports and news. In other words, it's the final step in the legacy-cable-ification of the service.

YouTube hasn't said anything about pricing. But it's probably safe to assume that narrowing your available content will reduce your bill. A year ago, the company raised its monthly cost to $83. That's 137 percent higher than the service’s launch price nearly nine years ago.

We don't yet have the full list of available plans, but YouTube mentioned packages for sports, news and "family and entertainment content." As expected, it promised that you can mix and match them. The YouTube TV Sports Plan will include access to all major broadcast channels and several sports networks, like all ESPN networks, FS1, and NBC Sports Network. It sounds similar to offerings from Fubo and DirecTV.

YouTube TV plans will launch in early 2026. The current $83 all-in-one model will remain available alongside it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/youtube-tv-plans-will-let-you-choose-genre-specific-content-packages-182909455.html?src=rss

Kia’s Most Forgettable Crossover Gets a Personality Transplant and a Hybrid for 2027

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Five years of anonymity ends here. The original Seltos did exactly what Kia asked of it: occupy a parking space in the subcompact crossover segment, return decent fuel economy numbers, and avoid offending anyone with strong aesthetic opinions. Mission accomplished. The problem was that avoiding offense also meant avoiding interest. While Kia’s design teams were busy making the K5 look like it wanted to fight you and turning the Sportage into something your neighbor would actually comment on, the Seltos sat in driveways across America looking like a placeholder for a vehicle that might arrive someday with actual visual presence.

Designer: Kia

The 2027 model is that vehicle. Kia has scrapped the safe approach entirely, replacing sheet metal that blended into rental car fleets with styling divisive enough to generate actual conversations. The interior no longer resembles a budget proposition from 2018. A hybrid powertrain finally joins the lineup, arriving roughly half a decade after competitors proved buyers would pay extra for efficiency in this segment. Whether the transformation justifies waiting for the 2027 model or signals that Kia finally understood what the Seltos needed all along depends on your tolerance for “better late than never” product development.

Platform Math That Actually Matters

Kia moved the Seltos onto the K3 platform. Platform migrations rarely excite anyone outside engineering departments, but this one delivers changes you’ll register without reading a spec sheet. Extensive use of ultra-high-strength and hot-stamped steel enhances body rigidity throughout the structure. Doors shut with a dampened authority the previous Seltos couldn’t manage. Road imperfections that used to send vibrations through the steering column now get absorbed somewhere between the pavement and your palms.

Dimensional changes favor passengers over parking. The new Seltos measures 4,430 mm long, 1,830 mm wide, and 1,600 mm tall, riding on a 2,690 mm wheelbase that redistributes interior volume where it counts. Rear seat legroom increases noticeably. The proportions trade some of the previous model’s upright greenhouse for a profile that looks like it belongs on the road rather than waiting nervously at a stop sign. The stance improvement alone suggests Kia’s designers finally got permission to make the Seltos look intentional.

Proportions that once read as generic now communicate purpose. Lower roofline changes how the vehicle photographs and how it feels from behind the wheel. You sit in something rather than on top of something.

Powertrains arrive with options across the efficiency and performance spectrum. The base 2.0-liter petrol engine makes 149 PS and 179 Nm, optimized for fuel efficiency and smooth everyday driving. The turbocharged 1.6-liter T-GDI comes in two flavors: a standard output version producing 180 PS and 265 Nm with a seven-speed dual-clutch or six-speed manual, and a high-output variant delivering 193 PS and 265 Nm through an eight-speed automatic. All-wheel drive swaps the base torsion beam rear suspension for a multi-link setup and adds Terrain Mode with settings for Snow, Mud, and Sand.

Hybrid Arrives Fashionably Late

Kia will add a hybrid sometime in 2026, trailing the gas models by several months. Specific output figures haven’t been disclosed yet, though the hybrid will bring higher efficiency and expanded everyday usability to the lineup.

The efficiency headline matters less than the features bundled with hybridization. Vehicle-to-Load capability transforms the battery pack into a portable power source. Tailgaters can run a TV. Contractors can charge tools. Campers can keep phones alive without hunting for outlets. That practical utility separates the Seltos Hybrid from efficiency-only competitors.

Kia’s Smart Regenerative Braking System 3.0 automatically adjusts regenerative braking based on traffic flow and navigation data to optimize energy recovery. For buyers who’ve watched the hybrid crossover segment mature while the Seltos offered only gasoline options, the wait has been frustrating. At least the delay allowed Kia to include features that early hybrid adopters had to do without.

Styling That Picks Fights

The front fascia abandons any pretense of subtlety. Kia’s star map lighting signature dominates the grille, paired with a dynamic welcome light sequence that animates on approach. Trim-dependent light signatures differentiate models. Flush door handles enhance aerodynamics and add visual sophistication.

Diagonal character lines run along the profile, while a floating roofline and strong shoulder contours create a dynamic silhouette that conveys forward motion even when stationary. Contrasting cladding and satin silver accents emphasize durability and refinement. The effect demands attention in ways the previous Seltos actively avoided.

Profile proportions stay recognizable but tighten considerably. Wheel arch cladding gains sculptural depth without the aggressive plastic additions that make some crossovers look like they’re wearing protective gear.

Three standout colors debut with the new model: Iceberg Green, Gravity Gray, and a bold matte Magma Red that photographs well enough to suggest Kia invested real effort in the paint development. The overall effect is polarizing by design.

Buyers who found the previous Seltos too bland may love this. Buyers who preferred blending in may find the new face exhausting. Kia appears comfortable with that trade-off, betting that memorable beats forgettable even when memorable divides opinion.

Interior Debt Repaid

Cabin improvements run deeper than the dual 12.3-inch screens dominating the dashboard, though those screens certainly establish the generational leap immediately. A dedicated climate control panel sits between the displays with physical buttons and knobs for temperature, fan speed, and the functions drivers adjust without looking.

Customizable 64-color mood lighting enhances the cabin ambience, providing visual depth without the purple-and-pink nightclub aesthetic that afflicts competitors trying too hard. The effect is modern without being desperate.

The gear shifter migrates to a column-type Shift-by-Wire system, freeing up the center console for storage bins deep enough to swallow a phone without drama and cupholders sized for actual beverages. This layout contributes to a more open cabin environment.

A low, horizontal dashboard enhances forward visibility and creates a sense of openness, while optimized packaging ensures generous headroom and legroom for all passengers. Second-row seats adjust by a total of 24 degrees, tilting 12 degrees forward and 12 degrees backward. Cargo volume reaches a class-leading 536 liters, with a foldable dual-level cargo board adding organizational flexibility. Passengers who suffered through the previous Seltos’s cramped quarters will notice the improvement immediately.

Premium materials convey both modernity and comfort throughout the interior. The previous Seltos interior felt perpetually compromised. This one suggests Kia finally treated the cabin as a priority rather than a cost-reduction opportunity. That shift in philosophy matters more than any individual feature upgrade.

Feature Density Matches Larger Siblings

Technology concentration reaches levels that would have seemed absurd for a subcompact crossover when the Seltos launched in 2019. Wide panoramic sunroof for an open atmosphere. A 12-inch windshield head-up display projects key driving information directly in the driver’s line of sight. USB ports delivering 100 watts rather than the trickle charging that used to pass for adequate.

Audio options from both Harman Kardon and Bose deliver immersive, high-fidelity sound optimized for the cabin’s acoustic architecture. The Kia Connect Store enables digital personalization and entertainment options, including collaborations with Disney and NBA. Feature-on-Demand brings YouTube, Netflix, and display theme options. The Kia AI assistant, powered by ChatGPT, enables natural conversational interaction. Over-the-air updates keep systems current without dealer visits. Digital Key 2 enables secure smartphone-based vehicle access and sharing.

The driver assistance package bundles Highway Driving Assist 2, Lane Following Assist 2, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, Safe Exit Warning, Surround View Monitor, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse, and Parking Distance Warning covering front, side, and reverse approaches. The previous Seltos consistently trailed its platform siblings in feature availability, as though Kia assumed subcompact buyers wouldn’t notice or care about the disparity. This generation closes that gap aggressively.

Timeline and Buyer Calculus

Global production begins December 2025 starting with India. South Korea, North America, Europe, and China follow throughout 2026. U.S. specifications and pricing should emerge within months. Hybrid details will arrive later.

The marketing campaign positions Seltos drivers as “protagonists” in their own narratives, which is exactly the aspirational corporate language that invites dismissal. Ignore it. The vehicle transformation underneath that messaging is substantive. The 2027 Seltos finally looks like it belongs in Kia’s current design portfolio rather than lingering as evidence of what the brand used to settle for.

Practical considerations: buyers who need a small crossover immediately can find excellent options from Toyota, Honda, and Mazda. Buyers specifically interested in hybrid efficiency should wait for the Seltos Hybrid or consider alternatives already on the market. Buyers who want something distinctive enough to locate in a parking lot without pressing the key fob, and who can tolerate the wait, might find the 2027 Seltos worth the patience.

After five years of forgettable competence, the Seltos finally demands attention. That’s either exactly what this segment needed or more personality than subcompact crossover buyers actually want. Sales figures will arbitrate.

The post Kia’s Most Forgettable Crossover Gets a Personality Transplant and a Hybrid for 2027 first appeared on Yanko Design.

This MagSafe Battery Pack Looks Like It Belongs in Your Makeup Bag

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Most power banks and MagSafe battery packs look like small, hard bricks stuck to the back of a carefully chosen phone. There is a gap between the attention people give to phone colors, cases, and desk setups, and the generic plastic blocks they use to charge. Pokoo is a concept that treats a battery pack like a lifestyle object instead of emergency gear, borrowing its design language from instant cameras and cosmetics rather than chargers.

Pokoo is a MagSafe-style battery pack built around a rounded square body with a large circular disc at its center. The disc carries the branding and serves as the visual anchor, while a small indicator light in one corner handles status. The form is deliberately soft, with rounded edges and corners that make it feel more like a compact or a tiny camera than a tech accessory, especially in the warm white and sage-green palette.

Designer: Biu Biu

The battery snaps magnetically to the back of an iPhone, sitting below the camera bump and charging wirelessly. The circular disc and rounded form make the phone and pack feel like they were designed together, visually softening the stack instead of making it look like you strapped a tool to an otherwise clean object. The pastel colors reinforce that impression, turning the combo into something that feels intentional enough to leave on your phone all day.

The circular disc is not just decoration, it flips out to become a kickstand. When you want to watch something, the hinge lets the disc rotate outward, propping the phone in landscape while the battery stays attached and charging continues. That turns Pokoo into a two-in-one object, a power source and a stand, which makes more sense than carrying both separately or balancing your phone against a water bottle.

The top edge includes both USB-C and Lightning ports under a small protective ridge. That dual-port approach acknowledges that most people charge more than one kind of device, and it means Pokoo can handle wired top-ups for accessories or charge itself when wireless is slower. The flexibility makes it more adaptable than single-port packs that force you into one ecosystem or the other.

Pokoo comes in at least three colorways, the original white and green, a soft pink version, and a light blue with pink accents. Those colors push it firmly into lifestyle territory, looking equally at home next to a makeup bag or a laptop. The design language treats the battery as a companion object with personality, not a necessary evil you clip on when your phone is dying.

Pokoo does not reinvent what a battery pack does, it reframes how it looks and how you use it. The flip-out stand, dual ports, and cosmetic-inspired shell turn a mundane accessory into something that feels thoughtful. For people who care about the objects that live on their phones and desks, Pokoo suggests that charging does not require sacrificing aesthetics, and that a power bank can be soft, playful, and multi-functional without losing the utility that actually matters.

The post This MagSafe Battery Pack Looks Like It Belongs in Your Makeup Bag first appeared on Yanko Design.

Amazon brings same-day deliveries of perishable food items to 1,300 new areas

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Amazon is introducing same-day delivery of perishable food items to 1,300 new cities and towns throughout the country, upping the total service area to more than 2,300 locations. This expansion covers cities like Boise, Salt Lake City, Fort Collins, Omaha, Des Moines and many more.

Check the link to see if it has expanded to where you live. The commerce giant says it will be bringing the service to even more cities in 2026, making the platform a real rival to stuff like Instacart and Walmart+.

Amazon introduced this feature earlier this year and it has proven to be quite the success, given today's move. It lets people order perishable food items like fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat alongside other more traditional items like electronics and books.

Amazon uses a "specialized temperature-controlled fulfillment network” to ensure that perishables remain in tip-top shape and they are delivered in insulated bags. The deliveries are free for Prime members, as long as the order exceeds $25. Everyone else has to pay $13 per order.

Some items.
Amazon

The company says that fresh groceries already make up nine of the top ten most-ordered items for quick delivery, which is a fairly astounding metric. People want their avocados. Amazon has been steadily increasing the number of items available via this method by incorporating Whole Foods products.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-brings-same-day-deliveries-of-perishable-food-items-to-1300-new-areas-175746531.html?src=rss

The UK government will ‘look into’ Rockstar’s firing of union-organizing workers

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Rockstar Games may have to answer for what appears to be union-busting behavior. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, under pressure from parliament, said the government will "look into" the firing of 31 employees in October.

The sacked workers were all part of a private trade union chat group on Discord. The company claimed the firings were "for gross misconduct" and accused the workers of sharing confidential information outside of the company.

But based on what we know, it's hard to see that characterization as anything but union-busting in search of legal cover. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) described the case as "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry."

In November, IWGB issued legal claims against the Grand Theft Auto developer. The next day, over 200 staff at Rockstar North signed a letter condemning the firings and pressuring management to reinstate the workers. Earlier that month, the fired workers and their supporters protested outside Rockstar North's Edinburgh headquarters. Others picketed in Paris, London and New York.

People protesting and holding picket signs outside Rockstar North headquarters
Fired workers and supporters protesting outside Rockstar's headquarters
IWGB

“It’s clear to everyone close to this situation that this is a blatant, unapologetic act of vicious union busting,” one of the fired staffers said anonymously in a November statement. “Rockstar employs so many talented game developers, all of whom are crucial to making the games we put out.”

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh MP Chris Murray, who prompted Starmer's response, said in parliament that he recently met with Rockstar to discuss the case. "The meeting only entrenched my concerns about the process Rockstar used to dismiss so many of their staff members," he said. "I was not assured their process paid robust attention to UK employment law, I was not convinced that this course of action was necessary, and alarmingly, I did not leave informed on exactly what these 31 people had done to warrant their immediate dismissal."

Murray added that Rockstar initially refused entry to the MPs unless they signed a non-disclosure agreement. The company eventually relented on that front.

On Wednesday, Murray triggered Starmer's response in parliament. The MP asked the Prime Minister if he agreed that "all companies, regardless of profit size, must follow UK employment law and all workers have the right to join a union?"

Starmer replied that he found the case "deeply concerning." He added that "every worker has the right to join a trade union, and we're determined to strengthen workers' rights and ensure they don't face unfair consequences for being part of a union. Our ministers will look into the particular case the member raises and will keep him updated."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-uk-government-will-look-into-rockstars-firing-of-union-organizing-workers-174216696.html?src=rss

Enso Tape Measure Makes Pulling Lengths Feel Like a Small Ritual

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Most tape measures are purely functional, bright plastic bricks you toss in a drawer, borrow, and never remember. The act of measuring is usually rushed and slightly annoying, even though it is fundamental to making and building. Enso is a concept that asks what happens if you treat measuring as a small ritual instead of a chore, designing the gesture itself rather than just wrapping the same mechanism in prettier housing.

Enso is a tape measure concept that redefines measurement as a ritual, where precision meets care, and not the kind you hide in the drawer. The goal is not to add a screen or smart features, but to redesign the gesture itself, using overlapping circular forms and carefully tuned mechanics to make pulling a length feel calm and deliberate. The name references the Zen circle, a symbol of simplicity and mindful repetition.

Designer: Sshlok Mishrra

The project starts from interaction, not form, studying familiar motions like clicking a pen, twisting a capsule, and, most importantly, dialing a rotary phone. The idea is that the goal is not to redesign the tape, but to redesign the gesture, thinking about emotion, memory, and muscle habits instead of just housing dimensions. That shift lets the form emerge from how your hand wants to move.

The rotary phone acts as the trigger point, the satisfying resistance and weight of dialing, and the silent intelligence behind each click. That experience translates into Enso’s overlapping circular geometry, inspired by eclipses and the tension between concealment and revelation. The tape becomes something you reveal by rotating and sliding discs, not yanking a metal strip out of a box, which changes the pace and feel of the whole interaction.

Enso’s compact, overlapping-disc body feels more like a small object you would keep on your desk than a tool you would hide. The emphasis on clarity with human touch, a tactile poetry between hands and material, means the circular layout invites your hand to explore edges and seams. Measuring becomes a repeatable, almost meditative motion, where the ritual of pulling tape and finding a length feels as considered as the number you record.

1

The concept introduces gradients along the tape, giving measurement a new dimension. The scale is no longer flat, but alive in color and depth. A gradient can make relative length easier to read at a glance, and adding visual depth to the scale reinforces the sense that you are not just reading numbers, you are reading a field of distance that changes as you move along it.

Enso treats a basic tool as an opportunity to design a ritual, not just a product. For designers, makers, and anyone who measures often, a tape that feels good to use and looks good to keep out could quietly change how they approach small tasks. It is a reminder that even the most ordinary tools can carry emotion, memory, and a bit of poetry if someone takes the time to rethink the gesture instead of settling for the same bright plastic box that has lived in drawers for decades.

The post Enso Tape Measure Makes Pulling Lengths Feel Like a Small Ritual first appeared on Yanko Design.

The next Nintendo Switch Online additions are N64 games Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble

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Nintendo has announced its Nintendo Switch Online additions for December, which are for all the N64-era 3D platformer fans out there. On December 17, Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble are joining the Switch’s Nintendo Classics library. As a reminder, N64 games are exclusive to Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers, along with the emulators for the Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis and GameCube.

For retro gaming completionsists, Tonic Trouble might actually be the more interesting get for NSO, despite being far less well known than the Rayman series. It was Ubisoft’s first 3D platformer, but a number of delays meant it ended up releasing in the same year as Rayman 2, and therefore has become a bit lost to time. The game stars an alien janitor named Ed, who accidentally drops a powerful green tonic out of his spaceship and all over Earth, making a mutated mess of the planet that he has to clean up.

Tonic Trouble was also conceptualized by Rayman creator Michel Ancel, but Ubisoft clearly only had room for one limbless mascot going forward. Arriving in 1999, Rayman 2: The Great Escape was the series’ Super Mario 64 moment, reimagining the original 2D game as a 3D platformer that was met with critical acclaim at launch. These days, the superb Rayman Legends would probably be most fans’ pick for the best game in the long-running series, but Rayman 2 would likely be near the top of the list.

Today’s announcement means that Rayman arrives on the N64 NSO app before Nintendo's own Donkey Kong 64, which has been one of the most requested games for years. Why the company still hasn’t handed that one over in a year when the big ape made his triumphant 3D platformer comeback remains a mystery. But with the Rayman series kicking off its 30th anniversary celebrations back in September, the arrival of Rayman 2 makes a lot of sense.

Nintendo updated its N64 app for the launch of the Switch 2 earlier this year. Fire it up on today and you can make use of a rewind function, as well as a new CRT filter for optimum nostalgia.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-next-switch-online-additions-are-n64-games-rayman-2-the-great-escape-and-tonic-trouble-171500122.html?src=rss

Reddit is starting to verify public figures

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Like it or not, the checkmark has become an almost universal symbol on most social platforms, even though its exact meaning can vary significantly between services. Now, Reddit, which historically hasn't cared that much about its users' identity, is joining the club and starting to test verification for public figures on its platform.

The company is beginning "a limited alpha test" of the feature with a small "curated" group of accounts that includes journalists from major media outlets like NBC News and the Boston Globe. Businesses that are already using an "official" badge, which Reddit started testing in 2023, will also now have a grey "verified" checkmark instead of the "official" label. 

Verification has long been a thorny issue for many platforms. For users, it's at times been a source of confusion, especially on sites where verified badges only require a paid subscription. Reddit's approach, at least for now, is closer to how Twitter handled verification prior to Elon Musk's takeover of the company.

The company has handpicked the initial group who will get checkmarks indicating they have verified their identity and seems to be geared around high-visibility accounts. "This feature is designed to help redditors understand who they're engaging with in moments when verification matters, whether it’s an expert or celebrity hosting an AMA, a journalist reporting news, or a brand sharing information," Reddit explains in a blog post. "Our approach to verification is voluntary, opt-in, and explicitly not about status. It’s designed to add clarity for redditors and ease the burden on moderators who often verify users manually." 

For now, Reddit users — even notable ones — won't be able to apply for verification. But the company notes that its intention isn't to limit checkmarks to famous people only. A Reddit spokesperson tells Engadget that "our goal is that anyone who wishes to self-identify will be able to do so in the future." 

The company also notes that verification doesn't come with any exclusive perks, like increased visibility or immunity from the rules of individual subreddits. Reddit requires accounts to be in good standing and already active on the platform in order to be eligible for verification. Accounts that are marked NSFW or that "primarily engage in NSFW-tagged communities" won't be eligible. 


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-is-starting-to-verify-public-figures-170000833.html?src=rss