Danny DeVito Gets Twitter Verification Back After Abrupt Loss of Status Sparks Outrage

Danny DeVito's Twitter account was briefly unverified before being reinstated, after he tweeted support for striking Nabisco workers.

As walkouts spread across U.S. Nabisco bakeries, with union workers protesting proposed changes amid contract negotiations, screen star DeVito took to Twitter to express solidarity on Wednesday.

"Support Nabisco workers striking for humane working hours, fair pay, outsourcing jobs," wrote the actor, director and producer, who concluded his message: "NO CONTRACTS NO SNACKS."

However, in the hours that followed, a number of DeVito's followers soon expressed confusion over the status of his account, as his blue badge—Twitter's distinctive sign of verification—disappeared from his account.

One of DeVito's followers enquired if his choice of message had caused a problem, writing: "Did Twitter strip you of your blue check for this tweet?"

Another commented: "I'm a little flummoxed. Is it against the terms of service to talk about strikes on twitter??"

A third Twitter user said: "Danny, I would like to support your cause but I really can't do that unless you're verified. Please get verified."

On Thursday, media outlet More Perfect Union shared a tweet stating DeVito had confirmed to them that his Twitter account had been unverified.

According to Twitter's FAQs regarding verification, the company states that they "may also remove the blue badge from accounts that are found to be in severe or repeated violation of the Twitter Rules."

"This includes... Repeat violations in Tweets, including but not limited to: hateful conduct policy, abusive behavior, glorification of violence policy, civic integrity policy, private information policy, or platform manipulation and spam policy."

Twitter has since confirmed that the verified badge on DeVito's account was temporarily removed due to incomplete information.

A spokesperson told Newsweek: "The account referenced was debadged temporarily because the account's information was incomplete. Our verification policy states that blue badges may be automatically removed from inactive and incomplete accounts, which require a confirmed email address or phone number.

"We have worked with the account holder to confirm the necessary information and the account's verification has since been restored."

Newsweek has contacted a representative for Danny DeVito for comment.

Nabisco, makers of Oreo cookies and Ritz Crackers, has faced increased pressure from striking workers at factories in Oregon, Virginia and Illinois, amid contract negotiations with parent company Mondelez International, Inc.

According to Today, employees at a sales distribution center in Colorado also joined the strike on August 12. All striking workers are members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union.

At issue, say union leaders, is a proposal from Mondelez to go from eight-hour shifts, five days a week, to 12-hour shifts, three or four days a week, without overtime. Also proposed is more mandatory work on weekends without extra pay.

"This fight is about maintaining what we already have," Mike Burlingham, vice president of BCTGM Local 364 in Portland, told Today Food. "During the pandemic, we all were putting in a lot of hours, demand was higher, people were at home, and the snack food industry did phenomenally well.

"Mondelez made record profits and they want to thank us by closing two of the U.S. bakeries (last month) and telling the rest of us we have to take concessions, what kind of thanks is that? We make them a lot of money. It's very disheartening. How is that supposed to make us feel?"

Update 8/24/21, 10:45 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include Twitter's response.