who was the first person to be verified on tiktok

TikTok began verifying user accounts in 2017 to distinguish authentic, well-known personas from copycat accounts. While many celebrities and influencers have since earned the blue checkmark, there was a first – the very first person verified on TikTok.

Who Was the First Person Verified on TikTok?

Lauren Godwin (@laurengodwin) had the honor of becoming the first user ever verified on TikTok.

• Lauren was already an established content creator with a large following on other platforms like Vine and Instagram.

• When TikTok launched in 2016, Lauren quickly gained a following there as well by posting her comedic dance and lip sync videos.

• In early 2017, TikTok began their verification program to validate popular accounts. Lauren was approached to be the very first user verified on the app.

• Lauren’s large following and credibility as an established influencer made her a natural choice to be TikTok’s guinea pig for the newly launched verification system.

• Over the years since getting that first blue checkmark, Lauren has continued to grow her TikTok audience to over 4.2 million followers as of 2022.

• Lauren now also runs a popular YouTube channel and podcast called “Chicken Girls” with her best friend and fellow TikToker Claudia Sulewski.

So while many more well-known celebrities and personalities have since gained blue checkmarks, Lauren Godwin will always have the distinction of being the first user ever verified on TikTok. This helped legitimize TikTok’s verification system in its early days and established Lauren as an OG TikTok star from the very beginning.

In summary, Lauren Godwin was the first person selected by TikTok to receive a blue verified badge due to her large and credible following as a content creator transferred over from platforms like Vine and Instagram. Becoming TikTok’s inaugural verified user helped accelerate Lauren’s rise to internet stardom and established her as a pioneer of the young app in its earliest days.