Twitter’s move to remove inactive accounts means some users will lose followers, but it also means more handles to pick from.
Elon Musk announced the platform’s plans to purge dormant accounts as part of an ongoing transformation at the social media company.
“We’re purging accounts that have had no activity at all for several years, so you will probably see follower count drop,” tweeted Elon Musk.
Twitter’s policy requires users to log into their accounts at least once a month.
Musk made the announcement on Monday, saying it is “important to free up abandoned handles.” The purge is great news for Twitter users who have been eying handles that are being hogged by inactive users. But not everyone is thrilled.
In memory: on Twitter
My son’s still exists, it’s not been used since 2016, he hardly used it . I wanted to close it but refuse to submit his death certificate and follow twitters protocol. It’s cold and insensitive. He’s my child💔@elonmusk
— Tgalloway72 (@tgalloway72) May 9, 2023
My son’s account is inactive because he died nearly 2 years ago. I would be devastated if his account were to be deleted – it is one of the few things I have left.
— sharon g-t (@glamvicar) May 9, 2023
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The move would eliminate ghost followers who are alive but not active on the platform. Some Twitter accounts are dormant because those who used them have passed away. They currently act as a memorial of sorts. Musk says the purged accounts will be archived.
His answer didn’t satisfy users who stand to lose accounts belonging to late loved ones, leaving some scrambling for ways to maintain the deceased’s online memories. Other users offered Musk suggestions for solving the issue.
I did not appreciate how excited many people are about freeing up old usernames. That doesn’t change the point about preserving the old tweets — maybe rename the old account to include the year of creation.
However, tossing old names back into the free pool just starts another…
— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) May 8, 2023
Source: Twitter