4 ms·
The frustrating thing about so many usernames being taken on Twitter is that while new accounts are having to add numbers and underscores, most of the time the
by udp 14y ago
The frustrating thing about so many usernames being taken on Twitter is that while new accounts are having to add numbers and underscores, most of the time the name they want is just a ghost account from 2008 with 0 tweets.
Twitter should really have some kind of policy for releasing the names of completely unused accounts.
- ctdonath 14y agoAbandoned IDs is indeed a problem. I'd like Twitter handle cdonath, but it's taken - and is just a ghost account from 2009 with 2 tweets.
- corin_ 14y agoYep - the twitter name I'd prefer to have has one tweet from 8th July 2007, the reddit name I'd like (same name) has one comment from 27th March 2007. I can see an argument for not deleting inactive accounts in case their owners want to resume using them, but for accounts that are both inactive and practically unused (the two accounts I've mentioned... the one tweet, and the one reddit comment, both read "hi" - different person, though), they should be freed up. It's basically the same issue as domain squatting, except that a.) there's no cost involved to help limit it and b.) it can, and is, done by mistake by many people
- pizza 14y agoTwitter should let users register for usernames that haven't had been logged into in x years.
- mike-cardwell 14y agoThey could even email the existing owners first to let them know, and give them the opportunity to use it.
- graywh 14y agoThere is a policy on inactive accounts, but there's nothing about requesting an account be released. https://support.twitter.com/groups/33-report-abuse-or-policy-violations/topics/148-policy-information/articles/15362-inactive-account-policy https://support.twitter.com/groups/33-report-abuse-or-policy...
- Timothee 14y agoNote that this hasn't changed in a long time. Meaning: they'll never get to release them in bulk. "If a username you would like is being used by an account that seems inactive, you should consider selecting an available variation for your use on Twitter. In general, adding numbers, underscores, or abbreviations can help you come up with a great available username." Every time I read this page, (I checked it a few times because @timothee is taken but has never been used) I'm amused by the "if blah blah…, we offer no solution. But here's a 'solution' that we'll tell you is even better even though it's clearly not."
- graywh 14y agoIf that's your long-time username on the Internet, you could file an impersonation claim. But that will be a harder case to make for a common name.
- middus 14y agoThe problem is that twitter went into the only ID business. People might not use twitter to tweet, but to log into other services. Of course, direct messages also come into play.
- dgabriel 14y agoI have almost no tweets, but I use it for other things.
- marcomonteiro 14y agoAgreed. I've wanted @marcomonteiro from the start. That account has never had a tweet since at least 2007. It's the only reason I don't use twitter.
- incision 14y agoExactly. My preferred Twitter name: 2 Tweets, 1 Following, 0 Followers, inactive for 2 years. Worse: I share a pretty unique given name with a world famous musician. That name is taken for everything, always. Even if it wasn't it would likely be stolen from me via some kind of crazy infringement claim.