Tim BrayDec 16, 2022

If you’re going to leave Twitter, please don’t
a) delete your account, because someone bad will steal your handle
b) delete your Tweets, because their existence doesn’t help Elon and it’s like burning the Library of Alexandria.

Twitter captures a real-time historical record of a couple of decades and the billions of individuals’ snapshots are irreplaceable.

The thought of all those tweets being erased makes me feel physically sick.

[please pass on if you agree.]

Show threadMike ElyDec 16, 2022
@timbray my approach was to download my twitter data (in the hopes that it might someday be updatable) and null out my account but keep it active. That way if sanity regains I can simply upload my archive and get back to it.
Show threadTrowzersDec 16, 2022
@me @timbray
I requested my data but they never sent me anything. How long did it take to get yours?
Show threadSpicewallaDec 16, 2022

@trowzers @me @timbray I've seen reports that twitter does not consistently notify people when their data is ready to download. The recommendation was that people should check it themselves once or twice a day after they submit their request.

One person got their notification so late that twitter had already deleted their downloadable data and they had submit another request.

Show threadTrowzers
@Spicewalla @me @timbray That's a bit sucky as you literally get a message saying 'We'll notify you when it's ready' when you initiate the request. But anyway, it's been weeks and I've heard nothing so I'm trying again.
Dec 16, 2022 at 10:53pmWeb