Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, renamed it X, and implemented significant changes such as dismissing numerous staff members, a wave of individuals from various backgrounds has decided to abandon the social media platform. Some individuals attribute the platform’s shift from enjoyable to chaotic and toxic to Musk, citing decisions like welcoming divisive figures such as Donald Trump back. Musk’s juvenile humor and frequent intrusion into users’ feeds to promote far-right themes have also pushed people away. As a result, users are migrating to alternative platforms including BlueSky, Mastodon, Meta’s Threads, and Reddit, with some opting to disconnect from social media altogether.
For those considering leaving X, the first step is to deactivate the account, initiating a 30-day countdown to permanent deletion. By navigating to settings and privacy, accessing the Account tab, and selecting Deactivate your Account, users can proceed by confirming their password and deletion request. During this period, the profile and username will be invisible to the public, with the option to halt the process by logging in. Additionally, users subscribed to premium accounts need to cancel their subscriptions manually to avoid further payments.
To prevent inadvertent reactivation of the account, individuals should review and revoke access to any third-party apps granted permission to operate on their behalf. By visiting the settings menu, selecting Security and Account Access, clicking on Apps and Sessions, and then Connected Apps, users can manage app permissions and update their X password for added security.
Before bidding farewell to Twitter and X for good, users can download an archive of their data, including posts, direct messages, and followers/following lists, through the settings menu. X retains users’ profile information and content for the account’s duration, while personally identifiable data is held for up to 18 months. It is commonplace for departing users, including public figures, to announce their exit publicly, often criticizing Musk or citing the platform’s toxicity.
For those hesitant to delete their accounts permanently, the option to protect their posts by limiting visibility exclusively to current followers is available. By adjusting settings in the privacy section, users can ensure that only approved followers can view their posts, with others seeing a padlock symbol and needing permission to access restricted content.
For tech-related inquiries or challenges, individuals can reach out to onetechtip@ap.org for assistance.
