Elon Musk introduced a plan on Monday to purge all outdated Twitter accounts that haven’t seen any exercise in years. It’s a transfer to filter outdated accounts, however some customers on social media have expressed their issues. What occurs to the accounts of people that’ve died?

“We’re purging accounts which have had no exercise in any respect for a number of years, so you’ll in all probability see follower depend drop,” Musk tweeted on Monday.

There was some backlash after the announcement. QZ reporter Scott Nover mentioning that many social media websites are “successfully digital graveyards,” noting that deleting the accounts of family members was “akin to eradicating a gravestone.”

Musk has made plenty of adjustments to Twitter since he purchased the platform in October 2022, together with a brand new blue checkmark program that forces customers to pay $8 per thirty days for “verficiation,” even if no really ID verification is going down. Musk determined that he would give the blue checkmarks to individuals who had over a million followers to compensate for these refusing to pay. Blue checkmarks got to many lifeless celebrities, comparable to Anthony Bourdain’s account, Kobe Bryant’s and Chadwick Bouseman.

Twitter introduced the very same plan in 2019 to launch usernames, but it surely was met by precisely the identical objections as at the moment. Twitter ultimately determined to maintain the accounts that belonged to lifeless customers intact, one thing which little doubt supplied consolation to those that had been near a deceased beloved one.

Andrew Tate, a right-wing influencer, tweeted at Musk that he supported the thought of releasing up consumer names however that he didn’t need to see the account of his lifeless father disappear.

“Superb concept. Though my father has handed, I proceed to learn his weblog each day. Please hold him energetic,” Tate tweeted on Monday.

Musk’s historical past is considered one of making dramatic bulletins after which reversing course when individuals who he admire present suggestions. With a bit of luck, Tate’s message has gotten by way of to the Twitter CEO.

Musk’s automated Twitter response despatched to all journalists on Monday was a poop emoticon. I’ll replace this publish if I hear again with something resembling an actual reply.