Dec 10 (Reuters) - Reddit ( RDDT ) said on Wednesday it

had started testing verified profiles, a new feature aimed at

increasing transparency on the social media platform.

The company said that the introduction of a grey checkmark

next to usernames is designed to help users identify individuals

and businesses in scenarios where verification is crucial, such

as during official brand announcements.

The verification process is voluntary and opt-in, and

selected users must actively contribute on Reddit ( RDDT ).

"We're kicking this off with a small, curated group of

individuals- most of whom have already self-identified on

Reddit ( RDDT )- as well as businesses that currently hold an official

badge," Reddit ( RDDT ) said in a blog post.

Verification helps to combat misinformation and enhance

accountability at a time when digital landscape is crowded with

artificial intelligence-generated content, deepfakes and scams.

Several major social media platforms including X and Meta's

Facebook and Instagram offer paid verification, as the

tool gives them a new revenue line beyond advertising and often

comes with enhanced features, or support for verified users.

Reddit ( RDDT ) said its existing "official" watermark for businesses

will be replaced with the new grey verified checkmark.

The company added that currently users cannot request to be

verified and verification does not grant special privileges.

Reddit ( RDDT ) said that profile verification does not give the

company, moderators or other users additional access to private

data.