Twitter to shut down inactive accounts starting Dec 12 and free up usernames (Updated)

Haven't logged in to your Twitter account recently? Better do so before it's too late. — AFP

Update: Twitter is halting the mass culling of inactive accounts until it figures out a way to memorialise the accounts belonging to those who have passed on.

We’ve heard your feedback about our effort to delete inactive accounts and want to respond and clarify. Here’s what’s happening: — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) 27 November 2019

We’ve heard you on the impact that this would have on the accounts of the deceased. This was a miss on our part. We will not be removing any inactive accounts until we create a new way for people to memorialize accounts. — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 27, 2019

If you have not logged in to your Twitter account recently, you'd better do it at least once before Dec 11 or risk losing your account and your username forever.

According to The Verge, Twitter is in the midst of sending emails to accounts whose owners have not logged in in over six months. The email informs them that their accounts may be shut down permanently due to prolonged inactivity.

The article quotes a Twitter spokesperson saying that the clean up is to present "more accurate, credible information people can trust" across the social media platform.

"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," the spokesperson reportedly said.

However, Twitter did not specify exactly when these usernames will become available for others to choose as the company stated that the account removal process will take place over a span of months, and not just a single day.

This exercise affects not only those who have left the platform, but also accounts belonging to those who have passed on. According to the article, Twitter is mulling ways to solve this issue.

"We do not currently have a way to memorialise someone's Twitter account once they have passed on, but the team is thinking about ways to do this," the spokesperson added.