Twitter on Wednesday announced new guidelines for verified accounts, a week after it was heavily criticised for adding a blue badge to white nationalist Jason Kessler’s profile.

The social media company said it was reviewing an unspecified number of verified accounts and will remove the blue badges if it finds that users are posting messages that promote hate or violence against people based on their race, sexual orientation and religion, Fortune reported.

“Verification has long been perceived as an endorsement,” Twitter said. “We gave verified accounts visual prominence on the service which deepened this perception.”

Twitter admitted that this matter should have been addressed earlier, and that it failed to prioritise it.

Prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer, a leader of the alt-right movement in the United States, was among those who lost their verified status after the new guidelines were implemented.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer insinuated that the social media company took away her “verified badge” because of her political affiliation.