Twitter to remove user accounts that have been inactive for more than 6 months


Twitter has reported that they will be removing inactive accounts on its site if the user does not sign in to their account by December 11th. Users who haven’t signed into their accounts for more than 6 months will receive an email from Twitter with information about this decision.

If the user fails to sign in to their account by December 11th, the account history will be deleted from Twitter servers and more importantly, their twitter handle will be up for grabs. Twitter has been unclear as to when they removed account handles will be available for the public but it can be safe to assume that it will take some time.

This move not only affects users who have abandoned Twitter from their lives, but it also affects the deceased. Unlike Facebook, Twitter has no clear method to memorialise someones Twitter account once they pass on, but Twitter has said that they are looking into it.

To ensure the account does not get deleted, all the user needs to do is sign in to the account and follow Twitter’s instructions. Those users who have been inactive for over 6 months will receive an email that says:

Hello,

To continue using Twitter, you’ll need to agree to the current Terms, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Use. This not only lets you make the best decisions about the information that you share with us, it also allows you to keep using your Twitter account. But first, you need to log in and follow the on-screen prompts before Dec. 11, 2019, otherwise your account will be removed from Twitter.

Commenting on the move, a spokesperson told The Verge that:

As part of our commitment to serve the public conversation, we’re working to clean up inactive accounts to present more accurate, credible information people can trust across Twitter. Part of this effort is encouraging people to actively log-in and use Twitter when they register an account, as stated in our inactive accounts policy. We have begun proactive outreach to many accounts who have not logged into Twitter in over six months to inform them that their accounts may be permanently removed due to prolonged inactivity.

Source