Twitter archive: backing up all of your tweets
Twitter has began testing an option with a small number of users to download all of their tweets in the form of a “request your archive” option in the Twitter settings, according to The Next Web. Twitter user Navjot Singh tweeted a screenshot of the option in his settings, which shows users in the test group can request a file of every single tweet they’ve ever made, and a link is emailed to the user when the file is ready for download.
Twitter has confirmed the test has begun but has not confirmed if this is an option that will roll out to all users or not, but traditionally, features Twitter tests publicly become part of the feature options. Additionally, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo told press this fall that the company would, in fact, add an archive option before the end of the year.
When the feature rolls out to all users, it will put Twitter on par with other social media options that offer users’ their data. Twitter has long had a problem in that older tweets are inaccessible, not only when searching for others’ tweets, but your own. This is problematic for many reasons, especially for companies that desire to (or are required to) back up all communications.
Users that have access to the download option reveal that the archive option comes with an graphic outlining volume of tweets per month over the years, which can be clicked, drilling down to more specific time periods. The file is useful not only for back up, but for analysis. Third party analytics companies have popped up over the years, and while this may become more helpful for those services, but could also keep users in the Twitter ecosystem, which is a win for the social media giant.
