Greg WilsonNov 6, 2022
If you are leaving Twitter, do not deactivate your account. Instead, please set it to private. (If you deactivate it, someone else may be able to claim it in future, and identity squatters are a problem no-one needs.)
Show threadLambert HellerNov 6, 2022
@gvwilson
First of all, thank you. It's the right time again to discuss how to #leave a service like Twitter.
I'd strongly prefer to leave your Twitter profile open, though. Here's my reasoning. Past Twitter posts are sometimes not sufficiently bei Web Archives (yet). Findable, referable, potentially useful (you just never know, right?) public knowledge on the web shouldn't go dark. Yes, this is an issue of cultural heritage preservation, nothing less.
Thanks for considering!
Show threadAdrian
@Lambo @gvwilson Re. identity squatters: Won't this not be a problem only for the people who stay on Twitter? I just deleted my account and don't see a big risk for myself. On thebother hand I am all for making the hellsite less attractive to so that more and more people stop using it. If more and more mentions lead to deleted or even squatted accounts this will definitely not be fun for those who continue using it.
Nov 6, 2022 at 4:27pmWeb
Show threadLambert HellerNov 6, 2022
@acka47 @gvwilson Please, let's agree not to delete online cultural heritage intentionally in order to damage a bad business model. Ultimately, it will hurt "them" only this much, but it takes away a unique piece of a common good effectively for everyone.
Show threadAdrianNov 7, 2022
@Lambo "online cultural heritage" is a big word. The mistake was that we created such a "unique piece of common good" on a commercial platform in the first place. @gvwilson
Show threadjorolNov 7, 2022
@acka47 @Lambo I‘ve downloaded my profile data before deleting all my stuff (tweets, likes, dm). I keep my account open for while with a message that I moved to the fediverse. @gvwilson
Show threadJoão SantosNov 10, 2022
@acka47 @Lambo @gvwilson if you don't mind people impersonating you sure, it's only a problem to people on Twitter. If you have your Twitter account tied to your real identity, and people in your personal and professional circle know that's your account, then it's a big risk to leave the handle available.
Show threadAdrianNov 10, 2022
@jmcs You could just communicate to your Twitter followers in your professional and personal circle that you are gone and shutting the account down. If someone comes to impersonate you, they should realize. @Lambo @gvwilson
Show threadJoão SantosNov 10, 2022
@acka47 @Lambo @gvwilson easier said than done, when your handle is in things like conference presentations and blogs you don't control. And even without that, how would I reach out to everyone? Phone call hundreds of people?
Show threadAdrianNov 10, 2022
@jmcs " And even without that, how would I reach out to everyone? Phone call hundreds of people?" – I thought about posting it on the account to be shut down for some weeks before deleting it. @Lambo @gvwilson
Show threadAdrianNov 10, 2022
@jmcs @Lambo @gvwilson Also, impersonation has been a problem there for a long time: accounts with the same bio and profile pic & maybe similar use name as the original accounts are a regular thing. The targets are usually big accounts (like Musk right now) or people who are also subject to other forms of online harrassment, especially women who are addressing things like rape culture or racism. And if you want to avoid _that_ kind of impersonation, it is even better to leave twitter for good.