When a Doctors Without Borders cargo plane full of medicine was blocked from landing at the congested Port-au-Prince airport, the group sent out a tweet about the blockage.Twitter users then began to bombard the U.S. Air Force's Twitter account with demands that the plane be let in.

We're working it right now. More to follow

Larisa Epatko

Kate Starbird, a graduate student at the University of Colorado at Boulder, studies the use of Twitter during crises.

But by the third day, they decided to go ahead and launch a Twitter initiative several months in the making, called "Tweak the Tweet". The objective is to repurpose tweets with a syntax, or language structure, in order to streamline the process of connecting people with specific needs in emergency situations with those who can provide it.

Why does Twitter verify accounts? Verification is currently used to establish authenticity of identities on Twitter. The verified badge helps users discover high-quality sources of information and trust that a legitimate source is authoring the account’s Tweets.

What is a verified account? Any account with a blue verified badge on their Twitter profile is a verified account. 

What kinds of accounts get verified? Twitter proactively verifies accounts on an ongoing basis to make it easier for users to find who they’re looking for. We concentrate on highly sought users in music, acting, fashion, government, politics, religion, journalism, media, advertising, business, and other key interest areas. We verify business partners from time to time and individuals at high risk of impersonation.