Verification Guide

Overview

Verification on AEOBRO confirms that a profile is controlled by the entity it represents. An unverified profile can be created by anyone; a verified profile has passed at least one ownership challenge that establishes a cryptographic or platform-level link between the AEOBRO profile and an identity the entity already controls.

There are three verification methods. Each produces a different trust tier and unlocks different platform features. You can use more than one method — verification is additive, not exclusive.

Verification Tiers

A profile may hold both tiers simultaneously. DOMAIN_VERIFIED and PLATFORM_VERIFIED are independent — achieving one does not prevent or replace the other.

1. Method 1 — DNS TXT Record

DNS TXT verification proves that you control the domain associated with your profile. AEOBRO issues a unique verification token; you publish it as a DNS TXT record; AEOBRO queries DNS and confirms the token is present. This method grants DOMAIN_VERIFIED status.

1.1 Prerequisites

• A domain you control with access to its DNS settings
• The domain must be set as your profile's website field before starting
• DNS propagation time (typically 5–30 minutes; up to 48 hours in rare cases)

1.2 Step-by-step

1. Open your profile editor and navigate to the Domain verification section.
2. Copy your verification token. It will look like:

   aeobro-verify=abc123def456...

3. Log in to your DNS provider (e.g., Cloudflare, Route 53, Namecheap, GoDaddy) and add a new TXT record with the following values:

   Field	Value
   Record type	TXT
   Host / Name	_aeobro-verify
   Value / Content	Your verification token (copy from dashboard)
   TTL	300 (or your provider's minimum)

4. Wait for propagation. Most DNS changes are visible within 5–15 minutes. You can check propagation with:

   dig TXT _aeobro-verify.yourdomain.com +short

5. Return to your profile editor and click "Check record now" in the Domain verification section. AEOBRO will query DNS and, if the token is found, immediately grant DOMAIN_VERIFIED status.

1.3 Removing DNS verification

To remove DOMAIN_VERIFIED status, delete the _aeobro-verify.yourdomain TXT record from your DNS. After DNS changes propagate, return to the Domain verification section and click "Check record now" — AEOBRO will detect the missing record and update your status accordingly.

DNS TXT verification does not create a Linked Account entry. It is domain-level, not account-level. It will not appear in your Linked Accounts list.

1.4 Troubleshooting

• Check still fails after waiting: Confirm the record name is exactly _aeobro-verify (with the leading underscore). Some DNS providers auto-append the root domain — if so, use _aeobro-verify without the domain suffix.
• Token not found: Ensure you copied the full token value without surrounding whitespace. Some DNS UIs wrap long values — verify the value is unbroken.
• Profile website field is blank: DNS verification requires a domain to check against. Set your website in the profile editor first, then retry.

2. Method 2 — OAuth Platform Connection

OAuth verification connects a third-party platform account (Google, Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok, and others) to your AEOBRO profile using the platform's standard OAuth 2.0 flow. AEOBRO receives a verified platform identity token — it never receives your password. This method grants PLATFORM_VERIFIED status.

2.1 Step-by-step

1. Open your profile editor and navigate to the Platform verification section.
2. Select a platform from the available OAuth providers and click Connect.
3. Complete the OAuth flow on the platform's own login page. AEOBRO requests read-only identity scopes only — it does not request permission to post, follow, or modify your account.
4. Return to AEOBRO. After a successful OAuth grant, your profile is immediately upgraded to PLATFORM_VERIFIED and the connected account appears in your Linked Accounts list.

2.2 What AEOBRO stores

After a successful OAuth connection, AEOBRO stores the following:

• The platform identifier (e.g., google, twitter)
• Your external ID on that platform (a stable numeric or alphanumeric ID, not your password)
• Your handle or display name on the platform, if available
• A link to your public profile on the platform, if available
• Verification timestamp

AEOBRO does not store OAuth access tokens, refresh tokens, or any credentials that could be used to act on your behalf on the connected platform.

2.3 Disconnecting an OAuth account

Open the Linked Accounts section of your profile editor and click Disconnect next to the account you want to remove. If the disconnected account was your only PLATFORM_VERIFIED link, your profile may be downgraded to UNVERIFIED.

3. Method 3 — Code-in-Bio

Code-in-Bio verification proves ownership of a social profile by having you place a short verification code in your bio or description on that platform. AEOBRO checks the platform's public profile page for the code. No OAuth flow is required — this method works for platforms that do not support OAuth or where you prefer not to grant account access. This method grants PLATFORM_VERIFIED status.

3.1 Step-by-step

1. Open your profile editor and navigate to the Platform verification section.
2. Select Code-in-Bio and choose the platform you want to verify.
3. Copy your verification code. It will look like:

   aeobro:abc123def456

4. Add the code to your bio on the target platform. The code can appear anywhere in your bio — it does not need to be the only content.
5. Enter your profile URL or handle for that platform back in the AEOBRO editor and click Check now. AEOBRO fetches your public profile page and scans for the code.
6. Verification completes immediately if the code is found. Your profile is upgraded to PLATFORM_VERIFIED and the linked account appears in your Linked Accounts list.

3.2 After verification

You may remove the code from your bio after verification completes — AEOBRO does not re-check on an ongoing basis. The verification status persists until you explicitly disconnect the account from the Linked Accounts section.

3.3 Supported platforms

Code-in-Bio works with any platform that exposes a public bio or description field on a publicly accessible profile page. The platform does not need to support OAuth. Common examples: Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, GitHub, Substack, and personal websites.

4. Managing Linked Accounts

The Linked Accounts section of your profile editor shows all active OAuth and Code-in-Bio connections. DNS TXT verification is domain-level and does not create a linked account entry — it is managed separately in the Domain verification section.

4.1 Account status indicators

4.2 Effect of disconnecting accounts

Disconnecting a linked account removes the verification signal for that platform. If the disconnected account was the last active PLATFORM_VERIFIED connection on your profile, your profile may be downgraded to UNVERIFIED. Schema export and other PLATFORM_VERIFIED features will no longer be available until a new platform connection is established.

5. FAQ

Can I have both DOMAIN_VERIFIED and PLATFORM_VERIFIED at the same time?

Yes. The two tiers are independent. A profile can hold both simultaneously, and the features of each tier are available to profiles that hold it.

Does verification expire?

DNS TXT verification is checked at the time you click "Check record now." If the TXT record is later removed, the verification remains active until you trigger a recheck. OAuth and Code-in-Bio verifications do not expire automatically — they remain active until you disconnect the account.

Will AEOBRO post to my social accounts after OAuth?

No. AEOBRO requests read-only identity scopes during OAuth. It does not request permission to post, send messages, follow accounts, or perform any write operations on your behalf.

My DNS check keeps failing even though the record is published. What should I do?

First, verify the record is live using an independent DNS lookup tool. Confirm the record name is exactly _aeobro-verify (with leading underscore, without your domain suffix if your DNS provider auto-appends it). Confirm the value matches your token exactly. If everything looks correct and the check still fails, wait 30 minutes for full propagation and try again.

I removed a linked account by mistake. Can I reconnect?

Yes. You can reconnect any previously disconnected account at any time by repeating the OAuth or Code-in-Bio flow for that platform. Your verification status will be restored immediately upon successful reconnection.

My profile shows as unverified even though I completed verification. What happened?

Check the Linked Accounts section to confirm your connection shows a Verified status (not Pending or Failed). For DNS verification, confirm the recheck was run after the TXT record was published. If status still appears incorrect, try refreshing the page — verification status is computed server-side and may take a moment to propagate to your session.