Biden becomes @POTUS but won’t get Trump followers
JOE Biden became @POTUS on Twitter yesterday. But unlike four years ago, when Donald Trump took over the handle, Mr Biden won’t keep the account’s current followers.
He took over the account yesterday with more than 955,000 followers. These are those who had followed his transition account in the last week. Trump’s POTUS account became @POTUS45 at the same time.
The previous followers of the POTUS account will get a notification about the transfer with the option to follow Biden’s POTUS account if they wish.
Biden’s first tweet as US president was sent from the account at 12.36pm (US time).
“There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face,” the tweet read. “That’s why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families.”
Mr Biden’s digital director Rob Flaherty had called Twitter’s transition plan for the official accounts “profoundly insufficient” in a tweet last week. “They’re bending themselves over backwards to break with the 2017 protocol they set on the transfer of accounts, and also breaking with every other social platform in providing the new administration a follower base,” he said. Twitter declined to comment.
The move of accounts between administrations is just one of a broader digital transition among social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube taking place as Biden became US president.
Social media companies are handing over the keys to the White House accounts to the Biden administration after archiving them on Inauguration Day, ushering in what is expected to mark a different tone and cadence of the accounts after the past four years.
The Biden administration took over the @POTUS account on Twitter, as well as @WhiteHouse, @VP, @FLOTUS and @PressSec.
On Facebook, the administration took over accounts for the White House and POTUS, and on YouTube they will inherit the White House channel.