Koo launches voluntary self-verification for all users; first platform to do so

India, April 7: The Indian microblogging and social networking platform, Koo App has launched voluntary self-verification for all of its users, becoming the first social media platform in the world to do so. By using their government-issued ID card, every user can now self-verify their profile on the platform in seconds. This step allows users to verify the authenticity of their profiles on the platform, giving their thoughts and opinions more credibility. Voluntary self-verification will promote the visibility of genuine voices.  A visible marker in the form of a green tick will indicate that the account is self-verified. Koo App is the first ‘Significant Social Media Intermediary’ in the world to enable this feature in accordance with Rule 4(7) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. To self-verify their account, users have to enter the Government-ID number and enter the OTP.  On successful authentication, users will get self-verified with a green tick in their profile. The validation process is carried out by Government-authorised third parties and Koo would not store any information during the process. Also Read | Facebook allows users to share reels directly from third-party apps Voluntary self-verification, in addition to empowering users on the platform, would hopefully reduce online misinformation, hate speech, abuse and bullying by promoting authenticity. Aprameya Radhakrishna, Co-founder & CEO of Koo stated that “Koo is at the forefront of promoting trust and safety on social media. We are very proud to be the first social media platform in the world to launch a Voluntary Self-Verification system. Users can get self-verified in less than 30 seconds through our safe and secure verification process." "This is a huge step towards lending greater authenticity to users and promoting responsible behaviour on the platform. Most social media only give this power to some accounts. Koo is the first platform that has now empowered every user to have the same privilege," the CEO added. Voluntary Self-Verification FAQs- 1. Does Koo store any kind of user information? No. Koo does not keep any data or information related to users. A Government-approved third-party’s service is deployed to authenticate the details. 2. Will my ID card details show up on Koo? No. ID details are only used to verify the identity of the user. 3. Will other users get access to name and ID card info? No. The details on the profile remain as they used to be before the verification. 4. Is it safe to enter my Government-approved ID card details? Yes. The Voluntary Self Verification process is safe and secure. This verification process is carried out by a Government-authorised third party and Koo does not store the data of any user. 5. Why should a user do this? A person who verifies his or her profile is identified as a legitimate user, giving their thoughts and opinions more credibility. Genuine voices on the platform benefit from voluntary self-verification. It also gives users the same privilege of verification that was only available to some eminent accounts on other social media. Also Read | World Health Day 2022: Ministry of Ayush starts countdown for International Yoga Day -PTC News