This is how you close a Twitter account when someone dies
Twitter is a social networking site that lets users share short messages, photos and video. Given twitter's business model of tweets coming in-the-moment, it comes as no surprise that they don't offer legacy functions or transferring ability.
Required information
- Email or username
- Password for one of the above
How to close a Twitter account
- Log on and navigate to the gear icon at the right hand corner and choose “Settings”
- Scroll to “Deactivate My Account,” and click that
- Click “Okay, Fine, Deactivate Account”
- Re-enter password
- The account will be deleted in 30 days
What if I don't have the required information?
If you can't log into the deceased person's twitter account, then you'll need to provide some information using the following link: Twitter Privacy Policy Inquiries
Once there, you'll need to provide your relationship with the deceased person, along with your email address. You'll also need either the person's full account name, or their twitter handle. After that, twitter will contact you at the email address you provided, and you'll be asked to provide the following:
- The deceased person's birth certificate
- The deceased person's death certificate
- Proof of authority under local law that you are the lawful representative of the deceased person, or his/her estate
- Twitter may also ask you to make a signed statement with additional information if they request it
Official Site: www.twitter.com
Official Twitter page on closing a deceased person's account
Atticus' Legacy Review of twitter's closing account process after someone dies = 7/10 stars
Twitter gets high marks for their closing account process after someone dies, because of their transparency around the policy. They have web pages that speak directly to the policy, and have resources for both Twitter users and non-users alike. However, Twitter doesn't appear to provide an ability for users to determine what happens to their account upon their death. They also require a great deal of information in the event you have to inform them of a deceased user. Privacy policies and security are important, but any number of documents should suffice to inform them of a deceased user, versus several that say the same thing. Hopefully, after receiving this less than perfect mark they'll write one for their clients.
