In late October, billionaire investor Elon Musk made headlines when he followed through on a proposed $44 billion deal to buy the social media platform Twitter. Since that day, the company has seen a slew of sweeping changes that have created an unstable environment for brands and advertisers. These changes have included a dramatic and sudden gutting of personnel, including the removal of the head of the platform’s trust and safety team, which establishes policies to ensure acceptable use and compliance on the site. Twitter also rolled out a new system for verification, one that initially simply required an $8 fee, resulting in the proliferation of imposter accounts that have resulted in reputational damage to well-known brands. 

In light of what is becoming an increasingly unpredictable and potentially toxic virtual space, brands are justifiably questioning their involvement on Twitter. Many have decided to pause their Twitter advertising campaigns, and some have decided to delete their accounts altogether.

How Should Law Firms Respond to Twitter’s Recent Changes?

Jaffe has been monitoring the Twitter situation closely and has devised the following recommendations for law firms and others in the legal industry.

  • Cost vs. Benefit: Every law firm on Twitter has to weigh the pros and cons of continuing to engage on the site. Review the benefit the site provides to your brand and business, and consider how the current environment presents new and significant risks.
  • Deletion vs. Dormancy: Those who feel that Twitter now presents too much of a risk will have to decide whether to delete their account or retain the handle but refrain from posting. There may be some unforeseen consequences to deleting your account. For example, once your account is deleted, another user can claim your old handle.
  • Download Your Data: Should you decide to delete your account, we recommend downloading your data beforehand. You can learn how to do this here.

Once you delete your account, you have 30 days to reinstate it. After that time lapses, you lose the ability to reclaim your handle, your data and all of your followers.

Should Law Firms Wait Until Twitter Stabilizes?

Jaffe can help assess your firm’s unique situation and advise about how to move forward. For more information, contact Melanie Trudeau at mtrudeau@jaffepr.com.