Gmail Adds Blue Verified Checkmarks To Protect Users From Scammers – SlashGear

Scams and phishing attacks pulled off through emails end up causing hundreds of millions of dollars in lost money each year. Even an organization like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is not immune to email hacks. Back in 2021, the FBI admitted that hackers compromised its email servers and started sending spam messages that asked the reader to pay a small fee so that the government can release funds owed to them.

Google

Google’s BIMI and checkmark initiatives aren’t fool-proof, but they solve the problem of spoofing to a large extent. Google will only grant brand logo avatars (above) and a blue checkmark to applicants that have already implemented the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC ) and have also been cleared by external certification authorities like Entrust or DigiCert.

Haha ????

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2023

Elon Musk, on the other hand, thinks Google’s blue checkmark system for email addresses in Gmail is funny. Twitter, which is now owned by Musk, was the platform that really popularized the trend of verified accounts with a distinct blue checkmark. That sign stood for authenticity and credibility. But under Musk’s regime, that checkmark has become a common commodity that any online troll can buy for as little as $8 per month.