> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.legitimate.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.legitimate.net/~/changes/77VELRe0v6XREpNhjnio/apis/journalist-verification-api.md).

# Journalist Verification API

This API allows you to verify if a social media username belongs to a Legitimate journalist in our system.

### Endpoint

`POST /api/v1/verify_journalist`

`URL: https://www.legitimate.net`

### Parameters

* `social_username` (required): The social media username to verify. Do not include the @ symbol at the start.
* `social_type` (required): The social media type of the username. Valid values are `twitter`, `linkedin`, or `facebook`.

### Response

The API response is in JSON format and contains the following fields:

* `verified` (boolean): Indicates if the username belongs to a legitimate journalist in our system.
* `first_name` (string, optional): The first name of the verified journalist.
* `last_name` (string, optional): The last name of the verified journalist.
* `slug` (string, optional): The slug of the verified journalist.
* `message` (string, optional): The error message if the social media username does not belong to a legitimate journalist in our system.

### Example

**Request**

```json
{
  "social_username": "CriticalRedPen",
  "social_type": "twitter"
}
```

**Response (verified)**

```json
{
    "verified": true,
    "first_name": "Elaine",
    "last_name": "Burke",
    "profile_bio": "Elaine Burke is editor of Silicon Republic, having served a few years as managing editor up to 2019. She joined in 2011 as a journalist covering gadgets, new media and tech jobs. She comes from a background in publishing and is known for being particularly pernickety when it comes to spelling and grammar – earning her the nickname, Critical Red Pen.",
    "slug": "elaine-burke",
    "article_count": 136,
    "articles": [
        {
            "id": 1066870,
            "title": "Cork cybersecurity start-up Vaultree selected for EIC Accelerator",
            "description": "Vaultree is among 78 selected companies that will share in up to €470m of funding through a combination of grants and equity investment.",
            "link": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/vaultree-cork-cybersecurity-eic-accelerator",
            "profile_id": 2158,
            "created_at": "2022-12-20T17:32:10.471Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-12-20T17:32:11.008Z",
            "og_image": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/AdobeStock_278003537.jpeg",
            "icon_path": "https://siliconrepublic.com/favicon.ico",
            "published_at": "2022-12-20T16:19:44.000Z",
            "post_id": null,
            "feature": false,
            "lg_index": "",
            "active": true,
            "search_visible": true,
            "author_name": null,
            "tag_list": [
                "Premium"
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": 1057254,
            "title": "Dublin’s new life sciences hotbed opens in Cherrywood",
            "description": "The Campus in Cherrywood has already attracted an Irish and an international start-up to set up shop in its life sciences ecosystem.",
            "link": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/the-campus-cherrywood-life-sciences-incubation-labs",
            "profile_id": 2158,
            "created_at": "2022-12-08T17:44:51.152Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-12-08T17:44:51.600Z",
            "og_image": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/NO-FEE-PIONEER-GROUP-CHERRYWOOD-OPENING-JB2.jpg",
            "icon_path": "https://siliconrepublic.com/favicon.ico",
            "published_at": "2022-12-08T17:10:01.000Z",
            "post_id": null,
            "feature": false,
            "lg_index": "",
            "active": true,
            "search_visible": true,
            "author_name": null,
            "tag_list": [
                "Premium"
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": 1057255,
            "title": "Irish women awarded top EU innovator prizes",
            "description": "Dr Ciara Clancy and Niamh Donnelly were among the six winners of the European Innovation Council’s women innovators awards.",
            "link": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/eu-women-innovators-awards-ciara-clancy-niamh-donnelly",
            "profile_id": 2158,
            "created_at": "2022-12-08T17:44:53.791Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-12-08T17:44:54.087Z",
            "og_image": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FjYrftvXEAILIQn.jpg",
            "icon_path": "https://siliconrepublic.com/favicon.ico",
            "published_at": "2022-12-07T16:37:49.000Z",
            "post_id": null,
            "feature": false,
            "lg_index": "",
            "active": true,
            "search_visible": true,
            "author_name": null,
            "tag_list": [
                "Premium"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "profile_image": "https://legitimate.net/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBK09zQXc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--1ea4f80653c972bd8369f8a478ba57405970580c/ElaineBurke.jpg",
    "profile_social_profiles": {
        "twitter": "CriticalRedPen"
    }
}
```

**Response (not verified)**

Sent with username: "CriticalRed\_Pen" with an underscore inserted. 

```json
{
    "verified": false,
    "message": "Not a legitimate journalist"
}
```

### Errors

The API can return the following errors:

* `422 Unprocessable Entity`: If the `social_type` parameter is missing or invalid.
* `500 Internal Server Error`: If there is an error with the server.

### Notes

* The `social_username` parameter is case-insensitive.
* The `social_type` parameter must be one of `twitter`, `linkedin`, or `facebook`.
* If the `verified` field is `false`, the API response will contain a `message` field with the error message.