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Unlike Twitter, Mastodon does not have a team of people to verify the identities and job titles of journalists. However, most servers include a verified link system that users can use to prove ownership of a website or page.

PressCheck.org allows working journalists to created a profile that can be linked to their Mastodon account to prove independent verification of their press credentials. (See below for typical verification methods.)

PressCheck.org profiles contain embedded code, unique to each journalist, that enables the use of Mastodon's verified metadata function. It appears on Mastodon profiles like this:

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Who is eligible?

Any journalist globally, including freelancers, newsletter writers... any category, really. This site is about confirming someone is who they say they are, not defining what a "journalist" is.

How are profiles verified?

Applications are to be made here. The quickest way to get verified is by tweeting a link to your Mastodon profile on an already-verified Twitter account. Failing that, providing a company email address for us to follow up with is another great method. Freelancers and newsletter writers should include as much background information and linked worked as possible in their application.

Who are you?

I'm Dave, a Financial Times reporter. This is a personal project.

Do you need any help?

Yes! Please get in touch if you want to help make this site better / help with verifications.

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Step-by-step guide to adding verified box

Here's how to add a "Verified by PressCheck.org" box to your Mastodon profile.

1. First, get verified. Submit your details here and wait for your confirmation email. It will contain a link to your PressCheck.org profile. Copy the profile URL, it will look like this: https://www.presscheck.org/journalists/your-name
2. Go to your Mastodon profile (e.g mastodon.social/@yourname) and click "edit profile"
3. Under profile metadata, enter "Verified by PressCheck.org" in the label field. Enter your PressCheck.org profile URL into the content field.
4. Save changes! 

Send an email if you're lost or things do not work as expected.