Twitter Pauses Deletion Plan, Will Allow Users To Memorialize Accounts

Only a day after it announced plans to start purging old inactive accounts, as well as accounts that are squatting on usernames, Twitter is back with an update that clarifies where and how this process will happen. The company has temporarily paused the entire plan, as well, so that it can develop a way to memorialize the accounts of deceased users, protecting them from the purge.READ: Twitter is about to go nuclear on username squatting and inactive accounts

On Tuesday, Twitter announced that it would start enforcing its inactive account policy, a move that will allow it to free up usernames for people who actually want them.

Users were quick to point out an issue with this plan, however — many inactive accounts are that way because the people who owned them are deceased.

At this point in time, Twitter has a policy that allows certain individuals to contact it when a user dies in order to have the account deactivated and removed. However, many people want the accounts to remain because they serve as a history of that user and their thoughts. In response to concerns about its plans to start enforcing its inactive accounts policy, Twitter clarified how it will proceed.

Firstly, Twitter says it will not remove any inactive accounts until it has developed a way for the accounts of deceased individuals to be memorialized. No additional details were provided, including when the company anticipates having this system in place.

Beyond that, Twitter says the new enforcement effort will only impact accounts in the EU at this point in time. The reason for enforcing its inactive accounts policy is partly due to the GDPR and other applicable regulations in the EU, according to Twitter.