While the transition process between the outgoing and incoming administrations is almost as old as America itself, the Obama Administration faces a new challenge with its digital presence. On Monday though, the White House announced how social media accounts will transfer, but be preserved at the same time.
Accounts for administration positions, @POTUS, @FLOTUS, @VP, will be given to the new members of the administration on January 20. The followers will carry on, but the tweets will be removed so the account holder starts with a clean slate. The tweets will not be lost though. Tweets from President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden, will move to new accounts with 44 added on, such as @POTUS44. The tweets will be catalogued with the National Archives and Records Administration.
The WhiteHouse.gov website will transfer power on January 20 as well. The content from the Obama version will move to a new domain so it is preserved, just as the websites from the Clinton and Bush Administrations are.
Content posted on any of the social media platforms for the White House will remain on the platforms, just with different handles.