Vine is a short-form video platform owned by Twitter. Home to some of the trendiest 6-second videos on the internet, Vine quickly earned quite the digital following. Though Vine was one of the biggest crazes, it was also short-lived. In 2019, Twitter made the decision to archive Vine once and for all. Though the videos are still online, it’s more difficult to access your account than ever before.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Are Vine Accounts Still Online?
- How to Delete Your Own Vine Account
- How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Vine Account
- Frequently Asked Questions: Deleting a Vine Account
What happens if you want to permanently delete a Vine account? It’s no longer possible to log into the platform. If you want to remove your own account or a loved one’s account, it’s not always clear what next steps to take. Luckily, Twitter outlines clear steps for deleting your own Vine account.
In this guide, we’ll share step-by-step instructions for how to permanently delete a Vine account. Content that remains on the archived version of Vine is still online. It remains archived and open to the public until you take action to remove your account or specific videos.
Are Vine Accounts Still Online?
First, it’s not always clear whether your Vine account is still functional. As of 2019, the full Vine website is no longer available. If you navigate to the Vine homepage, you’ll find a simple disclaimer explaining how it’s been archived.
What does it mean by “archived content”? This means you can only access Vine content through the unique URL of the Vine account. Similarly, if Vine content was shared on Twitter, it can be accessed through this other platform.
You can still find public profiles on Vine. These are tied to Vine usernames, display names, and captions. Though this information is still public, it can only be accessed through a direct search or URL. You are no longer able to log into Vine. Because of the limitations of the archived website, it’s not always clear how to remove your own content.
How to Delete Your Own Vine Account
If you’ve decided to delete your own Vine account, it’s a relatively straightforward process. You don’t need your username or password because you can no longer log in through the website. Instead, follow these steps below.
1. Get your Vine profile URL
In order to delete your Vine profile, you first need to know your profile page URL. This is your username, and it’s the only way to access your account. This could be stored in a password manager, or you might have to recall it from memory. Your Vine profile page (htts://vine.co/UserName) is unique to you.
2. Open your email client
Next, once you’ve located your profile URL, open your email. You can only deactivate your account via email support. A unique email address is used to do this, so you should receive help quickly. Address your email to vinehelp@twitter.com.
Though not strictly required, it’s best if you send your email from the email address associated with your Vine account. Otherwise, you might need to complete extra steps to verify your identity.
3. Send a request
Third, send a written request to the support email. You only need to ask them to close your account and share a link to your profile page. This doesn’t need to be a complicated email, and here is an example below:
My name is John Smith, and I am requesting the closure of my Vine account (URL). My username is JohnSmith1. I understand I will no longer have access to my Vine account or videos. Thank you.
4. Confirm your account has been deleted
Lastly, save the follow-up email to make sure your account has been deleted. If more information is needed, the support email will let you know with their response. Otherwise, check your Vine URL to ensure your account is no longer live on the archived website.
How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Vine Account
There are a lot of steps you have to take after a loved one dies. Knowing what to do when someone dies is never easy. Deleting unused accounts is a way to protect their digital legacy and personal information. Here’s how to delete a loved one’s Vine account.
1. Identify their username
Like with the steps above, you first need to find your loved one’s Vine username. This should be the same thing as their Vine URL. If you’re not sure, try searching their email address or full name to see if it’s associated with their Vine account.
2. Email Vine support
Next, send an email to Vine’s support address: vinehelp@twitter.com. It’s best if you can send this email from your loved one’s email address directly. If not, that’s okay, but you might need to complete extra steps to prove you’re completing executor duties.
3. Request the account closure
If you’re emailing from your loved one’s email account, you can send the same message as if the account was your own. Otherwise, use the following sample as a guide:
Greetings, my name is Jane Doe and I am requesting the closure of John Smith’s Vine account (URL). His Vine username is JohnSmith1. John recently passed away, and I am closing his account as his executor. Please let me know if any more documents are needed to close his account. Thank you.
4. Send supporting documents
Depending on who responds to your request, you might need to share additional information to close your loved one’s account. You might need to share their death certificate or legal proof that you’re acting as an executor. If you need to know how to get a death certificate, it’s a quick and easy process through your state’s health department.
Why does Vine request additional documents? Many platforms take account closures seriously. Because Vine is no longer live, they don’t want to incorrectly delete information that someone might have a claim to later on.
5. Save all messages
Last but not least, save any follow-up messages for your records. Continue checking Vine’s website to determine if (and when) the account has been removed. Remember, you’ll also need to remove any links or videos posted to Twitter as well.
Frequently Asked Questions: Deleting a Vine Account
Deleting accounts is tricky, but it’s especially confusing when the platform is archived. Though Vine is no longer active, you can still find old information and videos. These frequently asked questions help make sense of this platform.
How do you find an old Vine account?
You can find an old Vine account only through a direct profile URL. You cannot search using Vine’s homepage or app. Because it’s archived, you will need to know the profile URL or have a link to it saved on social media. Alternatively, you can conduct a Google search for “username + Vine” to see if this yields results.
Can you recover a deleted Vine account?
You cannot recover a deleted Vine account. Once your account has been deleted, it’s gone for good. Because Vine is archived at this time, there is no way to create a new account or upload new videos to Vine. Before deleting your account, save any videos you would like to keep. Deletion is permanent.
What else happens when you delete a Vine account?
When you delete a Vine account, it can no longer be accessed by URL. This means the video, account details, comments, and so on are all deleted for good. All data associated with your account is deleted forever. However, if the video was uploaded to Twitter as well, it still might be found on this platform.
Making Sense of Vine and Vine Accounts
Since its closure in 2019, many people have assumed Vine accounts are no longer accessible. While it’s true you can no longer log into Vine, accounts are still live and accessible to the public through a direct link or URL. If you’d like your account or a loved one’s account removed, follow the steps above.
Protecting your privacy online is a serious matter. Your digital legacy is a part of your story, so it’s important to be proactive about security. Create your own digital legacy plan for your accounts today for free on Cake, and share your plans with those you trust.
Sources:
- “Vine FAQs.” Twitter Help Center. Twitter.com.