HN Explorer

X/Twitter is stealing all short accounts

57 points by yencabulator ↗ HN
I'm Twitter user number 80 thousand something. I have a two-letter twitter username @tv. Have had it for ages. It's my initials, and a nickname I've been called for decades. I just got this in email:

--8<--

Hello,

The user handle associated with account @TV will be affiliated with X Corp. Accordingly, your user handle will be changed to a new user handle.

However, we appreciate your loyalty and want to minimize any inconvenience this may cause. At this time we will be changing this handle to @TheTV. We have listed additional handles that you can choose from below. Just respond to this message and we can assist you in making the change. All data associated with your prior user handle, including followers and following data, will be transferred to your new user handle.

@tvme @T_V_ @TV123 @TommiV

Please reply to this email if you have any questions.

Best regards, X

--8<--

Good thing they appreciate my loyalty! I appreciate how much of an asshole the person behind this decision is.

20 comments

[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 61.7 ms ] thread
Iulioh
Not even a tour offer to the HQ? so lame.
PaulHoule
Just switch to the fediverse, bluesky or threads (remember that?) and don't look back.
Zambyte
Yeah I just have my first name as my username on my Pleroma instance. No one is gonna take that from me :)
max_
The problem is the network not the platform. The people I would like to connect to are mostly on Twitter.
ckastner
This is a dick move par excellence, I'm sorry that you're losing your handle.

But the cherry on top is that three of the handles they offered you (@TheTV, @tvme, @TommiV) seem to belong to someone else already. So I guess the evictions will cascade.

mdwalters
They stole @x and now this. What can make our week worse?
[dead] db48x
[flagged]
OhMeadhbh
I don't think they can steal something that doesn't belong to you.
3cats-in-a-coat
Domains also don’t belong to anyone but the registrar. Imagine if registrars just went shopping for names they like.
Finnucane
Is it allowed by the TOS? Yes. Do the handles really belong to the user? No. Is this a dick move that will not inspire goodwill with users? Yes.
JumpinJack_Cash
You should totally reply and ask them to change your nick to some anti-musk handle

And no I am totally not saying this because I want @TommiV /s

nocoiner
Oh man. That sucks, I’m sorry to hear that. I wonder what chintzy, value-destructive revenue generation opportunity they have in mind with these accounts. A one-time auction to the highest bidder seems like it wouldn’t generate enough juice to be worth the squeeze (and who on earth would bid knowing they could lose it at any time)? Maybe monthly auctions to have a short username. Maybe a username land value tax where each month you have to pay an amount inversely proportional to the length of your username to keep it.

It’s fascinating how many people feel the need to chime in with “well, ACTUALLY.” Yeah, we know it’s not literally theft. Your mind is gonna be blown when you find out software piracy doesn’t involve boats.

JohnMunsch
I continue to be astonished at the people who have not left. What isn't off-putting to you? The literal Nazis back on the platform? The racism? The misinformation elevated to the top level?

I quit when the moron made his offer to buy it. I briefly regretted it when he withdrew his offer and it seemed like he might not get it, but in the end he did buy it and I was vindicated.

dorkwood
Did you ever use Twitter? If so, what sort of people did you follow? Why were you there?

I see no posts by racists or nazis. I use Twitter to follow a vibrant community of developers and artists. I haven’t found any other place like it online, and until I do, I’ll stay.

mattbgates
My gamer handle is Xarex.... and I always sign X... but I must accept defeat from the man who paid $44 billion for Twitter. You probably have no choice, but you could always reply with an offer you'll accept to change it. If you've got to do it, you may as well see what you can get out of it.