How to Protect Your Kinja Account Against a Twitter Shutdown
Elon Musk walking into Twitter headquarters on October 26, 2022, days before finalizing his takeover of the social media company, holding a bathroom sink. On Twitter, Musk posted video of himself carrying the plumbing fixture with the caption “let that sink in,” a visual pun that left him holding a heavy piece of porcelain with no clear plan for what to do with it next.Photo: Twitter account of Elon Musk/AFP via Getty Images (Getty Images)
If you’re a Kinja user — that is to say, if you’re active in the comment section on Jalopnik (or AV Club, Gizmodo, Jezebel, Kotaku, Lifehacker, The Root, or The Takeout) — there’s a high likelihood that you log in using your Twitter account. With growing and realistic concern that Twitter might stop working, temporarily or permanently, in the near future, we thought it was a good time to explain how to set up your Kinja account so you can log in via other means.
Right now, you can log into Kinja through one of three services: Twitter, Facebook, or Google. If you’ve only ever logged in through Twitter, here’s how you can add your Facebook or Google account. Do it now, before it’s too late.
Step 1: Go to Your Kinja Profile
Screenshot: Kinja
Step 1 is to go to your profile. From any article (including the one you’re reading right now), you’ll be able to click into your profile via the profile picture drop-down in the top-right corner of your browser. (Bruce Tester has graciously volunteered his account for visual reference.) Click your profile pic, or the elegant pixelated stock image if you haven’t uploaded one of your own, and then click “Your Profile.”
Step 2: Edit Your Profile
Screenshot: Kinja
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Now click “Edit Profile.” This part is pretty self-explanatory.
Step 3: Add Facebook and/or Google Login Info
Screenshot: Kinja
This is where we need to be. As you can see, Bruce already logs in using his Facebook account, so he’s safe from any repercussions if Twitter stops working. Bruce can add his Twitter account if he likes, or his Google login (either tied to his real name or a burner associated with a generic Google/GMail login). Once you’ve gotten to this page, it will be clear whether you’ve been logging in through Twitter, Facebook, or Google. You might be surprised to find out that you’ve already connected all three accounts. If so, you’re in the clear.
It’s probably a good idea to have all three services linked, so you’ve got double backup in case one service goes down. At the very least, though, you should think about linking a Google account. An anonymous account is fine.
Can I Link a Non-Google Email Address?
Unfortunately, no. Right now, these three services are the only login options on Kinja. It works this way for a lot of complicated reasons — and if watching the chaos at Twitter these past few weeks has taught us anything, it’s that pretty much every decision around digital communications and online content is complicated.
What Happens if Twitter Actually Breaks?
To be perfectly frank, that’s unclear. A total Twitter blackout, even a temporary one, hasn’t happened in years, and a lot of internet infrastructure relies on Twitter working as usual. Prior to Musk taking over, there was little reason for the world to prepare for massive Twitter outages. We’re in new internet territory.
Kinja commenters have made this a vibrant and invigorating online community of enthusiasts. We don’t want to lose that, and we’re hoping this worst-case fear ends up being unfounded.
But just to be safe, go ahead and link another account to your Kinja profile if you’ve been logging in via Twitter. Better safe than sorry.
