Twitter won't delete deceased users' accounts

James Delahunty
27 Nov 2019 20:41

Twitter has backtracked on plans to remove inactive accounts after users pleaded with the social network not to delete accounts of people who have passed away.

The service was planning to do some house cleaning by removing inactive Twitter accounts, starting on December 12. Accounts that could be removed would have to be inactive for at least six months. Twitter had assured users that there will be no mass purge on December 12, rather the removal of inactive accounts would be spread out.

However, concerns were raised immediately that accounts belong to users who have died would be included in the deletions. Some users took to Twitter to plead with the firm to reconsider, often admitting to visiting the accounts of dead relatives and friends from time to time.

Hi @Twitter, please consider the possibility of memorialising accounts. I often refer back to my late partners tweets as a reminder of Dean's thoughts & feelings & the memories we've shared. Don't remove accounts before sorting this, please. https://t.co/qd6TYW9Ode

-- Adam (@adamadzp) November 26, 2019

Twitter has responded by saying it will not remove inactive accounts until it can offer some ways of memorializing deceased users. Rival Facebook offers memorialized accounts for those who have died so that friends and family can share memories.

Another concern raised by Twitter's initial announcement is that some accounts have long been inactive, but are still culturally relevant.

Via: Engadget