Holy See 'hopes new Twitter rules include certification'

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - The Holy See said Friday it trusted Twitter's new policies would include certification of authenticity after Pope Francis' @Pontifex accounts lost their blue verified checkmark.
    "While waiting to know the platform's new policies, the Holy See trusts that they will include certification of the authenticity of accounts," it said in a statement.
    The Vatican said the Pope's @Pontifex accounts "certified with the old rules" currently have more than 53 million followers in the various language editions.
    On Friday the social network owned by Elon Musk started removing the blue checkmark previously given to noted individuals, journalists, executives, politicians and establishments as a mark of authenticity after verifying their identities.
    Previously the platform had said in future the blue checkmark would come at a fee.
    The accounts of Beyoncè and The New York Times were also among those to lose their check marks. (ANSA).