Free inactive usernames after a time period.
We’re reviewing this. Curious how long you think would be ok.
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DaminFN commented
is there a possibility i can get the name "damin"?
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Brugaled commented
Bumping this - I am following a bunch of usernames with zero activity, zero followers or account info and have been in touch with all of them and clearly nothing there... Been like that for over a year.
Any official response?
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TacoLlamaOCE commented
my name on virtually everything is TacoLlama and I've only really had any problems getting the name on Twitch and Twitter, but I would also be for randomizing every persons specific link unless/until they actually go live if that is a more reasonable solution since there are probably hundreds of thousands to millions of people waiting to grab a specific username
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Glassofwaater commented
lots of people have been waiting to change there usernames and yet, it hasnt happened. the recycle process of names hasnt happened. i have been trying to change my name for a while and i have been waiting. yet, the username isnt being used by an account at all and i dont understand why i cant have it. it just makes no sense and this needs to be changed. not to mention the accounts taken usernames that havent been used in years. its a waste and a frustration.
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Glassofwaater commented
i have been wanting to change my name for a while now but the name i want has no trace on twitch, when you look it up no account comes up. yet, the username is still un-available. i would just like to switch it.
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Zelcon123 commented
I've wanted to change my user for a while but apparently the username I want is taken by a kid who hasn't been active for 6 years
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iHatchiXBL commented
Just made a similar post!
Come on Twitch. User name should be random unless you stream. They should make it similar to Youtube! Only the serious stream gets a User ID.
Please delete any 90+ day inactive accounts!
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iHatchiXBL commented
There are tens of thousands of accounts are inactive never stream just preventing someone else from using the UserID. This is not fair and especially on a platform where users create and build their identity. The user name is a big thing for a streamer.
I am requesting Twitch to delete any account that not used for over 90+ days and release their User ID to the public.
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moonygrams commented
Freeing inactive usernames every 365 days would be insanely helpful to people who want to create on your platform. There are forums all over the internet filled with people asking if there's a way to communicate with twitch about an old account that has the username they want. I'm a streamer struggling with this as well. The username "moony" has been taken for years and inactive, but I can't get it, and I actually use Twitch Daily.
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mrplank_twitch commented
It is important to have the username you want. It’s your calling card, your online persona, your identity. It’s you. ens of thousands of new Twitch accounts have been created every day for a long time. Some of these accounts belong to people who used Twitch many years ago. But what about all those great usernames?! Why should a dormant account have that username you want so badly?
Can we get this feature?
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bermuda306 commented
There are far to many people waiting on unused usernames that are not released in a timely fashion. I'm going to post this both in an existing request and make a new one. Hoping it some how bumps the issue.
I have been watching two names for years now. One is simply completely inactive with zero information on the profile and has never followed anyone, for years. That account also has never responded to private messages to even suggest someone logged in. **** I'd buy their account name from them if there was anyway I could contact them.
The other has the "Unless you have a time machine." message and may be an old twitch staff, or previous partner, but i have no way of knowing that. Can't they supply some reason to why I can't change to that name?
Such as: "This username is unavailable and is exempt from the recycle program"
Then in the FAQ they can just state the names that fall into this category are the old staff, partner.. ect names. So we know we won't get it. Transparency! And it wouldn't be difficult, Twitch I'm sure already has a list of names it will not release in its database, just tell us why. What is the point behind all the secrecy? This isn't some massive company top secret policy gaining them millions, its the exact opposite. Dead names don't make them money and only cost Twitch storage space.
I would like to suggest that there be way when we go to change our name and it says its "unavailable" for name change, that we can request a flag on it. That it can then be checked for activity and if it is actually inactive within the username recycle programs guidelines it can be put in an upcoming recycle. I'm sure this can be automated, Twitch can see if a name has logged in within six months or a year and if not then flag it, and actually do this, not like right now where inactive names MAY be recycled but probably won't be in any timely manner.
Inactive accounts under threat of recycle don't have to be deleted, you could just append the name with a bunch of random characters in case the owner comes back and you can be sure to send out multiple emails letting them know what is about to happen if they don't log in. Though this would defeat the purpose of clearing up space due to inactive accounts, at least you wouldn't be worried about someone not returning later because their name is gone (their own fault, not Twitch's or the new name owner).
They should also in some way be required to actually use the name. Why are some names taken but are not in use? Is there protection from possible name sellers? (Not that I've ever seen one for Twitch but its common in other areas, such as website urls, mmos usernames, social media handles) What if someone has taken a name and only logs in once a year on that alt account but that account has zero activity, they don't chat or watch any videos? Is that fair or right? Why is that allowed? Shouldn't that name be available for someone who will use it?
The current system suggests that inactive accounts will be recycled but it could take as little as six months or it could take years. We have no way of knowing when that will be or even if the name we want is eligible for recycle. I had a **** of time just getting twitch to tell me if Curse usernames from when Twitch bought Curse and automatically created accounts for them would be eligible to recycle. I was told all those names have already been recycled, but it took multiple emails and explaining on my end as the twitch staff responding just wanted to send me copy paste responses that never addressed my question.
Of course partners/affiliates and old staff names should be exempt from this to avoid possible fraud/impersonation.
Pafon22 commented · September 6, 2020 7:
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Flandre5carlet commented
There desperately needs something to be done about this, especially for names that display a "time machine" error and yet are not eligible to be claimed after two+ years.
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Flandre5carlet commented
I agree.
I've been checking a "time machine" name almost every single day for probably two years now as part of a global name change for my online presence and it still remains unavailable to this day, with zero way to know why. Is it banned? Is it an old partner name? Is it a reserved CurseID name? Who knows. Maybe in four years it'll be free, or maybe it'll just never be recycled! -
Nickelicious92 commented
Dear Twitch, when a channel isn't active for a long time is there a way to talk to them? I'd like to change my handle to one without numbers.
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sMIL0don commented
7.5 years without my correct handle and Twitch doesn't do anything about it.
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sMIL0don commented
Here's an idea. Actually recycle the inactive user names like you said you would. I've been on Twitch for 7.5 years now WITHOUT my correct handle because someone with 1 follower is "using" it. As long as my fans are searching for my page this account will be "active" because it's getting traffic from my followers. PLEASE allow attention to this and other cases like this instead of sending generic response as if we didn't already research why this is happening. As a 7.5 year Twitch streamer it's crazy to me that myself and others are still waiting for our correct handles because some inactive account is not being recycled.
Long Story Short: Recycle Usernames
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Zacatecatl commented
I completely agree, the recycle program needs a massive overhaul.
There are far to many people waiting on unused usernames that are not released in a timely fashion. I'm going to post this both in an existing request and make a new one. Hoping it some how bumps the issue.
I have been watching two names for years now. One is simply completely inactive with zero information on the profile and has never followed anyone, for years. That account also has never responded to private messages to even suggest someone logged in. **** I'd buy their account name from them if there was anyway I could contact them.
The other has the "Unless you have a time machine." message and may be an old twitch staff, or previous partner, but i have no way of knowing that. Can't they supply some reason to why I can't change to that name?
Such as: "This username is unavailable and is exempt from the recycle program"
Then in the FAQ they can just state the names that fall into this category are the old staff, partner.. ect names. So we know we won't get it. Transparency! And it wouldn't be difficult, Twitch I'm sure already has a list of names it will not release in its database, just tell us why. What is the point behind all the secrecy? This isn't some massive company top secret policy gaining them millions, its the exact opposite. Dead names don't make them money and only cost Twitch storage space.
I would like to suggest that there be way when we go to change our name and it says its "unavailable" for name change, that we can request a flag on it. That it can then be checked for activity and if it is actually inactive within the username recycle programs guidelines it can be put in an upcoming recycle. I'm sure this can be automated, Twitch can see if a name has logged in within six months or a year and if not then flag it, and actually do this, not like right now where inactive names MAY be recycled but probably won't be in any timely manner.
Inactive accounts under threat of recycle don't have to be deleted, you could just append the name with a bunch of random characters in case the owner comes back and you can be sure to send out multiple emails letting them know what is about to happen if they don't log in. Though this would defeat the purpose of clearing up space due to inactive accounts, at least you wouldn't be worried about someone not returning later because their name is gone (their own fault, not Twitch's or the new name owner).
They should also in some way be required to actually use the name. Why are some names taken but are not in use? Is there protection from possible name sellers? (Not that I've ever seen one for Twitch but its common in other areas, such as website urls, mmos usernames, social media handles) What if someone has taken a name and only logs in once a year on that alt account but that account has zero activity, they don't chat or watch any videos? Is that fair or right? Why is that allowed? Shouldn't that name be available for someone who will use it?
The current system suggests that inactive accounts will be recycled but it could take as little as six months or it could take years. We have no way of knowing when that will be or even if the name we want is eligible for recycle. I had a **** of time just getting twitch to tell me if Curse usernames from when Twitch bought Curse and automatically created accounts for them would be eligible to recycle. I was told all those names have already been recycled, but it took multiple emails and explaining on my end as the twitch staff responding just wanted to send me copy paste responses that never addressed my question.
Of course partners/affiliates and old staff names should be exempt from this to avoid possible fraud/impersonation.
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Zacatecatl commented
I completely agree, the recycle program needs a massive overhaul.
There are far to many people waiting on unused usernames that are not released in a timely fashion. I'm going to post this both in an existing request and make a new one. Hoping it some how bumps the issue.
I have been watching two names for years now. One is simply completely inactive with zero information on the profile and has never followed anyone, for years. That account also has never responded to private messages to even suggest someone logged in. **** I'd buy their account name from them if there was anyway I could contact them.
The other has the "Unless you have a time machine." message and may be an old twitch staff, or previous partner, but i have no way of knowing that. Can't they supply some reason to why I can't change to that name?
Such as: "This username is unavailable and is exempt from the recycle program"
Then in the FAQ they can just state the names that fall into this catagory are the old staff, partner.. ect names. So we know we won't get it. Transparancy! And it wouldn't be difficult, Twitch I'm sure already has a list of names it will not release in its database, just tell us why. What is the point behind all the secrecy? This isn't some massive company top secret policy gaining them millions, its the exact opposite. Dead names don't make them money and only cost Twitch storage space.
I would like to suggest that there be way when we go to change our name and it says its "unavailable" for name change, that we can request a flag on it. That it can then be checked for activity and if it is actually inactive within the username recycle programs guidelines it can be put in an upcoming recycle. I'm sure this can be automated, Twitch can see if a name has logged in within six months or a year and if not then flag it, and actually do this, not like right now where inactive names MAY be recycled but probably won't be in any timely manner.
Inactive accounts under threat of recycle don't have to be deleted, you could just append the name with a bunch of random characters incase the owner comes back and you can be sure to send out multiple emails letting them know what is about to happen if they don't log in. Though this would defeat the purpose of clearing up space due to inactive accounts, at least you wouldn't be worried about someone not returning later because their name is gone (their own fault, not Twitch's or the new name owner).
They should also in some way be required to actually use the name. Why are some names taken but are not in use? Is there protection from possible name sellers? (Not that i've ever seen one for Twitch but its common in other areas, such as website urls, mmos usernames, social media handles) What if someone has taken a name and only logs in once a year on that alt account but that account has zero activity, they don't chat or watch any videos? Is that fair or right? Why is that allowed? Shouldn't that name be available for someone who will use it?
The current system suggests that inactive accounts will be recycled but it could take as little as six months or it could take years. We have no way of knowing when that will be or even if the name we want is eligible for recycle. I had a **** of time just getting twitch to tell me if Curse usernames from when Twitch bought Curse and automatically created accounts for them would be eligible to recycle. I was told all those names have already been recycled, but it took multiple emails and explaining on my end as the twitch staff responding just wanted to send me copy paste responses that never addressed my question.
Of course partners/affiliates and old staff names should be exempt from this to avoid possible fraud/impersonation.
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derzwo commented
how long review?
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rockqkun commented
bump