information Twitter may finally be ready to monetize premium Twitter handles

[equity78]

According to a report by The New York Times it looks like Elon Musk shares an opinion that myself and some others in domaining have held on Twitter handles. The good ones are worth money. Mike first wrote back in 2009 about a TechCrunch story that said, “Twitter handles are quickly becoming as desirable as domains”. A new service just lauched this week called Tweexchange, a … [Read more...]

 

[bmugford]

According to a report by The New York Times it looks like Elon Musk shares an opinion that myself and some others in domaining have held on Twitter handles. The good ones are worth money. Mike first wrote back in 2009 about a TechCrunch story that said, “Twitter handles are quickly becoming as desirable as domains”. A new service just lauched this week called Tweexchange, a … [Read more...]

It sounds alright in theory, but this could go down a potentially dangerous path. There is absolutely nothing protecting your existing handle.

Could a private company hand over your premium handle for the right offer? Sure.

Especially one that has a large financial hole to fill, and is now operated by someone who is so erratic.

Twitter has considered selling user names to generate new revenue as its owner, Elon Musk, tries to resuscitate the company’s business, two people with knowledge of the plan said.

Brad

 

[forge]

And what exactly constitutes an "inactive" account?

 

[bmugford]

And what exactly constitutes an "inactive" account?

Exactly. What defines it is whatever their definition is.
You are completely at their whim.

Would a company that is struggling financially turn down an offer of potentially hundreds of thousands (or more) for a handle actually in use? Who knows.

The bottom line though is you really have no protection from that happening either as a financial or punitive move.

Brad

 

[equity78]

It sounds alright in theory, but this could go down a potentially dangerous path. There is absolutely nothing protecting your existing handle.

Could a private company hand over your premium handle for the right offer? Sure.

Especially one that has a large financial hole to fill, and is now operated by someone who is so erratic.

Twitter has considered selling user names to generate new revenue as its owner, Elon Musk, tries to resuscitate the company’s business, two people with knowledge of the plan said.

Brad

I agree with you the worry is the erratic nature of Musk. I mean there are a lot of great short names that have sat there for years, I think they should be up for sale, so people truly interested can get them. But there cannot be something like you own @brad (very valuable) and you tweet and you obey the rules and then he uses some nonsense to say you tweeted something that he deemed wrong and took your handle.

 

[bmugford]

I agree with you the worry is the erratic nature of Musk. I mean there are a lot of great short names that have sat there for years, I think they should be up for sale, so people truly interested can get them. But there cannot be something like you own @brad (very valuable) and you tweet and you obey the rules and then he uses some nonsense to say you tweeted something that he deemed wrong and took your handle.

There would need to be strict rules that are followed.

The second you suspend an account for some dubious thing, then it magically shows up for sale shortly after public trust is breached.

So for instance, if an account is suspended it should not be available for sale for a period of time, likely several years. Otherwise, the conflict of interest becomes too obvious.

Also, the definition of inactive matters. For instance if there is an account with (1) tweet 12 years ago, it is probably reasonable to say it is inactive.

You also clearly need to reset the followers. You can't suspend an account then sell it and deliver all the followers to a new owner.

This has the potential to open up Pandora's Box and be a real clusterf*ck, especially with Musk in charge.

Brad

 

[Aradhi]

Twitter handles sells since 2007,

And I know hundreds people were working in this field since long time, for Twitter, Instagram, and tiktok handles

Here a public post talked about Twitter handle @Israel in 2010 from TheGuardian.com News.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...010/sep/14/twitter-user-sells-israel-username

 

[bmugford]

Twitter handle sells since 2007,

And I know hundreds people were working in this field since long time, for Twitter, Instagram, and tiktok handles

Here a public post talked about Twitter handle @Israel in 2010 from TheGuardian.com News.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...010/sep/14/twitter-user-sells-israel-username

Yep, the difference here would be Twitter themselves being involved.

Because unlike you or me, Twitter has the ability to seize any handle they please for any reason.
When given a financial incentive to do that, it could quickly become an issue.

Brad

 

[Aradhi]

Yes, You are right,

What I also know, that Twitter seized thousands of handles in the past, with a reason to gave them to websites with trademarks, Famous People, singers, actors, club's etc, who registered in Twitter after people took the handles.
Still no problem.
BUT as for now, what kind of handles they want to sell or auctioning,
I'm sure that u won't find any quality handles available,
There's many good ones which they were registered and now suspended accounts.
BUt it's too much disturbing to seized active accounts just to make money.

many people's spent millions dollars advertising at Twitter itself, which they promoted there account through paying money direct to Twitter
So it's shitty and I see the ineligibility of Twitter to sell any handles

used handles = belongs to the accounts itself.

 

[NickB]

There would need to be strict rules that are followed.

The second you suspend an account for some dubious thing, then it magically shows up for sale shortly after public trust is breached.

So for instance, if an account is suspended it should not be available for sale for a period of time, likely several years. Otherwise, the conflict of interest becomes too obvious.

Also, the definition of inactive matters. For instance if there is an account with (1) tweet 12 years ago, it is probably reasonable to say it is inactive.

You also clearly need to reset the followers. You can't suspend an account then sell it and deliver all the followers to a new owner.

This has the potential to open up Pandora's Box and be a real clusterf*ck, especially with Musk in charge.

Brad

Currently their policy page states......

"We cannot release inactive usernames at this time. If a username you would like is being used by an account that seems inactive, you should consider selecting an available variation for your use on Twitter. In general, adding numbers, underscores, or abbreviations can help you come up with an available username."

"To keep your account active, be sure to log in at least every 6 months. Accounts may be permanently removed due to prolonged inactivity."

Technically, as long as you log in once every 6 months then the account is deemed "active"

Worth checking in every now and then to see if they change this in the future without any major notifications.....

https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/inactive-twitter-accounts

 

[alcy]

nothing stops Twitter from just taking any handle they want from old members who never paid it. just rename joe to joe8484 ... u think the users can sue that? lol good luck... there are no tos or anything that says your Twitter handle is your property
... which it isn't. but they sure can write tos now... terms that say u can buy this or that handle... and after that u own it for life.

 

[wot]

Solved that problem by having a crap handle and then getting a life suspension for criticizing Musk!

 

[MKA]

And what exactly constitutes an "inactive" account?

I think Musk made a similar statement shortly after he acquired Twitter, pointing out that some accounts don't have a single tweet, and that haven't been logged in on for over a decade. Banned accounts is also something that could be relisted.

But at the end of the day it comes down to the guarantees. I could definitely see myself spending a few thousands for the top global position on a generic keyword.

So it's shitty and I see the ineligibility of Twitter to sell any handles

I fully agree with you here. But that's the industry.

Twitter has positioned itself as a valuable marketing platform, and considering how much money people are spending on AdSense, there may be money to be made here.

 

[MadAboutDomains]

Telegram is selling their nice handles. Looks like it's a good gig.

YouTube just released their handles to the public. I got two 3 letter ones!

 

[MKA]

YouTube just released their handles to the public. I got two 3 letter ones!

The issue with those is that you can't trade them. You can send them between accounts that you own, but that's it. They're linked to your gmail account which you're not allowed to sell either.

The only thing you could do would be to drop the handle, delete the gmail account, and wait a month or so for the handle to be available for registration again. But at that point it becomes a risk because someone might snap it up before the potential buyer.

 

[MadAboutDomains]

The issue with those is that you can't trade them. You can send them between accounts that you own, but that's it. They're linked to your gmail account which you're not allowed to sell either.

You are quite correct. I got them because I want to use them to be fair. But I'm surprised there were any available when I got to it

 

[MKA]

You are quite correct. I got them because I want to use them to be fair. But I'm surprised there were any available when I got to it

Yeah, they don't hurt to have. And they're fairly new so you can pick up a fair amount of good ones.

 

[NickB]

Twitter handles are different in that it's not against their terms of service to sell them.

That's BS - It is against their Tos

https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/twitter-username-squatting

"Attempts to sell, buy, or solicit other forms of payment in exchange for usernames are also violations and may result in permanent account suspension."

 

[MadAboutDomains]

That's BS - It is against their Tos

https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/twitter-username-squatting

"Attempts to sell, buy, or solicit other forms of payment in exchange for usernames are also violations and may result in permanent account suspension."

Sorry yeah, that bit is not correct. I didn't spot that at the end there

 

[MKA]

That's BS - It is against their Tos

"Attempts to sell, buy, or solicit other forms of payment in exchange for usernames are also violations and may result in permanent account suspension."

Thank you for correcting me.

But that's odd considering how Musk spoke of them in the OP and that there's an active market for them, and it's beneficial for handles to trade users.

Imagine if you have a small company Instantservice with the handle @instant, and let's further assume that the company closes down. That premium handle will generate traffic/interest but no longer be in use. Even if twitter didn't make money off the trade it would be better is some other company would get the handle, because it would condition them to be more active on twitter.

 

[MadAboutDomains]

Thank you for correcting me.

But that's odd considering how Musk spoke of them in the OP and that there's an active market for them, and it's beneficial for handles to trade users.

Imagine if you have a small company Instantservice with the handle @instant, and let's further assume that the company closes down. That premium handle will generate traffic/interest but no longer be in use. Even if twitter didn't make money off the trade it would be better is some other company would get the handle, because it would condition them to be more active on twitter.

Well chances are he wants to start selling them. That tos is legacy in the main probably anyway. They don't have 15k lefties to keep it up to date anymore

 

[MKA]

Well chances are he wants to start selling them. That tos is legacy in the main probably anyway.

I think it is a good idea. They could auction off the banned/suspended handles, put them on 90 day auctions, and take it from there.

If people could sell them then they would also be considered assets/investment, like domains, and there be more of an interest in getting a good handle. Because even if your name is John Smith, and your handle is @instant, chances are you're going to be contacted for a potential purchase of the handle.

I'll keep an eye on this development.

 

[MadAboutDomains]

They could auction off the banned/suspended handles, put them on 90 day auctions, and take it from there.

Yeah, once all of the unduly banned ones are reinstated. They're getting there with that now though.

A lot of the 2 letter usernames were given to the powers that be in twitter before it became good again.

 

[Aradhi]

Man, The problem is musk himself.

First, please buy the perfumes from me until I complete the twitter.com acquisition.
Then oh wait, please this is not fair
Everyone has the right to verify his Twitter account and get the blueTicks..

If he genuinely cares about, everyone has the right to be verified and get bluetick..
Why he made it for money in the first place and renewed monthly.

Then now selling handles.

Musk may be one of the most successful people on the earth, but I don't see him as the right professional person to be the Twitter CEO.
Before Musk considered buying Twitter
His reputation were always negative.
crypto pump and dump
And his many quarrels, and the problems of his other companies are public, tesla and china, the usa elections, etc

At least after purchasing Twitter, any subscriber to the site gradually loses confidence when he sees the speed of events, the speed of changes in website policy, terms, faq, and their abundance.

When the date of creation the twitter website is recent, sell any handles you want.
It is not now on a website where the date of membership registrations varies from 2006 to 2023.

For me as ex.
When my name James and I'm the first registrar of the Google Gmail:
[email protected]
The name of the mail is not entitled to be withdrawn even if the new Google owner is James, After I have an effective mailbox

So twitter.com handles same same:
its belong to the registered accounts itself

 

[MadAboutDomains]

Man, The problem is musk himself.

First, please buy the perfumes from me until I complete the twitter.com acquisition.
Then oh wait, please this is not fair
Everyone has the right to verify his Twitter account and get the blueTicks..

If he genuinely cares about, everyone has the right to be verified and get bluetick..
Why he made it for money in the first place and renewed monthly.

Then now selling handles.

I don't see the issue...