We are getting asked about "verified accounts" quite often recently, so lets try to clear this up: There are no verified accounts on Mastodon like there are on Twitter. Some Mastodon instances have a custom emoji that looks like the verified icon on Twitter and people put that in their display name, probably because it looks fancy. It does not mean anything though.
@dreamerchris yes, a custom emoji. Only works on instances that have it.
@Tusky is it worth mentioning that masto does have distributed verification support, using rel="me", and that tusky can display that information? 
because yeah, masto has distributed verification support, using rel="me", and tusky can display that information 
@00dani yes right (just verified our homepage thx for the reminder 😅)
Using "rel=me" is a fine thing.
But as many people use similar icons (custom emojis) in their account name, it is some kind of misleading because it can not be dstinuished from the "real" verified icon put there when using "rel=me".
Moreover, the emojis behind an account name are obstacles for those followers using a screen reader as screen readers alsoways read everything, every single emoji, every time.
I think using emojis in the account name is not necessary.
@Urmeline @Tusky hmm. in both masto web and tusky, the rel="me" distributed verification icons appear next to the urls in your profile metadata that have been verified, not beside your account name
i think it'd be very difficult to confuse them for one another 
you make a good point about screen readers! although, it seems like a pretty obvious improvement that can and should be made to screen reader software? things like "how to pronounce this user's display name, including whether to speak out the emojos at the end" should be user-customisable if they aren't already
@Tusky there is however a verified links feature that fills a similar function. You can prove control of a website or domain. If you trust that domain you can trust the account. Or this can be used to link your account to accounts on other services if you verify a page of links to other accounts..
@Tusky I kind of blame admins who upload that emoji knowing full well it’s misleading. I’m kind of out of options for preventing it, unless I remove any emojis out of display names 😕
@sheogorath @Tusky You can’t, they can name it whatever, and there’s a bunch of different variants of the image
@Gargron @sheogorath @Tusky That's okay, I think. Let people do whatever they want with their display names. All we can do is enlighten them if they have any questions. The platform is growing and such things will become order of the day if it isn't already. Let's concentrate on good content, safe space, no trolls.
@sbasu @Gargron @sheogorath @Tusky I love the 
icon on my display name. Makes it cooler than the birdsite blue tick!
@Tusky I'm a verified #fluffernutter 
@Tusky Also because all are equal here. 😀
@Tusky you need to come on android!
@Tusky I meant iOS! My bad
@Tusky You can verify yourself of course using a rel="me" link and with Keybase.
@Tusky I wonder if I can have a customized sparkling red elephant that dances Macarena near my name so everyone can verify that I am me.
Pretty please?🙃
Server run by the main developers of the project 
It is not focused on any particular niche interest - everyone is welcome as long as you follow our code of conduct!
@Tusky
Isnt it just adding verified with :: ?
:verified: