How to Delete Your Twitter Account Permanently

Across the world, Twitter is one of social media’s darling, giving people a platform to share and connect. Politicians, celebrities, brands, athletes, you name it; everybody has a handle nowadays.

But while Twitter is often critiqued for its toxic culture of trolling and hate speech, many overlook some of the biggest problems the platform faces: a notorious lack of security and disregard for user privacy.

And while many people chose to delete Twitter to improve their mental health, others are more concerned for their privacy.

If you’re ready to leave the world of tweets behind, we’ve prepared just the guide for you on how to delete you from Twitter.

Something to consider before you delete your Twitter account

Remember that deleting your account means you’ll no longer have access to your DMs, posts, or other media. So, it’s always a good idea to keep an archive of your data. If nothing else, it can just preserve your memories.

You can do this from the browser:

1. Log into your Twitter account.
2. Click on ‘More’ on the left sidebar.
3. Select ‘Settings and Privacy.’
4. Under ‘Your account,’ select ‘Download an archive of your data.’
5. Enter your password and click on ‘Confirm.’
6. Click the ‘Request data’ button.

When your download is ready, you’ll receive an email from Twitter. Click the ‘Download data’ button to get your archive.

According to Twitter, it can take a few days for your email to be ready.

How to delete your Twitter account

With your archive saved, you’re now closer to pulling the plug on Twitter. There are two ways you can delete your account.

From the browser:

1. Log in to your Twitter account.
2. Click on ‘More’ on the left sidebar.
3. Select ‘Settings and privacy.’
4. Under ‘Your account,’ select ‘Deactivate your account.’
5. Read through the information and click ‘Deactivate.’
6. Confirm with your password and click ‘Deactivate’ one more time.

From the app:

1. Tap on your profile icon.
2. Tap ‘Settings and privacy.’
3. Tap ‘Account’ and then tap ‘Deactivate your account’ at the bottom.
4. Read the prompt and tap ‘Deactivate.’
5. Confirm with your password and tap ‘Deactivate.’
6. Tap ‘Yes, deactivate’.

As with most social media platforms, it’ll be around 30 days until your account is permanently deleted. If you change your mind, log in, and your account will be reactivated.

For more peace of mind, install CyberGhost VPN and reduce the amount of data websites collect on you.

Is my privacy at risk on Twitter?

As with other social media platforms, Twitter has a lot to gain from data-mining.

It is in both Twitter’s and advertisers’ best interest to work together to improve their profile of you. To that end, advertisers on Twitter will often share data on you, including your:

• • • Age
    • Race
    • Gender
    • Ethnicity
    • Email addresses
    • IP address
    • Interests
    • Online activities
    • Browser you use
    • Operating system
    • Mobile carrier
    • Time spent on the app

And the bad news doesn’t end here.

Even if you don’t have a Twitter account, Twitter can still collect info on you. The company has agreements with other websites and services that embed Twitter, making it possible to track your activities.

Then there’s the matter of security.

Twitter’s increase in popularity turned it into a prime target for malicious parties. With so many prominent figures on the platform, hackers try to take advantage of Twitter less than stellar security systems very often in the past few years.

Prepare yourself for a long list of hacks and data breaches.

Better safe than sorry, so make sure you use CyberGhost VPN when you go online.

Why did you choose to #deleteTwitter? Are you using other, more secure social media apps? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, stay safe and secure!