If you’re curious what kind of data Twitter stores on you — and what those hackers could have stolen during their big bitcoin scam — you can now find out once again. Twitter has reenabled the ability to download archives of “Your Twitter Data,” nearly two months after shutting off the feature as a precaution against further hacking.
To access it, go to Settings > Account > Your Twitter data and you should see a screen like the one below, where you’ll need to type in your password to start the transfer. If you’re using a phone app, it may shove you over to the mobile website instead.
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It also might take a while before the archive is ready: I pressed the button an hour ago, and I’m still waiting for the in-app notification so I can actually download it.
Twitter had a pretty good reason to shut the feature off. Not only did the big bitcoin scam rope in high-profile accounts including President Barack Obama, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, but hackers also got access to some of these “Your Twitter Data” archives, potentially stealing private messages and other personal data from an array of users.
Three people have been charged for the huge hack so far, including one Florida teen who authorities believe was the “mastermind” behind the operation — but the FBI is still looking for additional suspects, and reportedly already suspect an additional 16-year-old from Massachusetts. Here’s everything we learned about the Florida teen from his Zoombombed hearing in August.
