X (formerly Twitter) takes over @X handle from its original user

According to a report from Mashable, as of early this morning, the @X handle is now the official handle for “X,” which is the new name for Twitter. Previously, the handle was owned by photographer Gene X. Hwang, who had been using it since 2007 and had gained a following of 26.9K. He chose that handle in the early days of Twitter because it represented his middle initial and his status as a member of Generation X.

When asked if Twitter management had approached him regarding taking over the @X handle, Hwang replied that no one had, but he believed it was only a matter of time before he heard something. He stated:

Shortly after, things took a turn when Hwang received an email from Twitter informing him that the company would be reclaiming the handle and assigning a similar one to him. The similar handle given to Hwang was @x12345678998765. This seems either extremely random or there are 12345678998764 other handles with the letter “X” preceding them.

Musk’s takeover of the @X handle is just the latest in a series of moves he has made to rebrand Twitter. Since acquiring the company, he has implemented several changes to the platform, including the introduction of Twitter Blue, a new version that features a verified check mark. It will be intriguing to see what other modifications Musk brings to the platform in the future.