Don’t Delete. Don’t Retreat. Hold the Line.

Every deleted account is ground lost. Hold your position, regroup, and be ready.

Look, I get it.

Twitter (or whatever Elon’s calling it these days) feels like a dumpster fire. Facebook is a boomer hellscape. Instagram is overrun with grifters and AI-generated thirst traps. It’s exhausting, and the temptation to just walk away is real.

But I need you to hear me on this: DO NOT DELETE YOUR ACCOUNTS.

I’m not saying you need to hang out in these cesspools every day. I’m not saying you need to argue with trolls or engage in the daily doomscroll. If stepping back is what’s best for your sanity, then by all means, do it. But do not hand over the keys and walk away forever.

Because when you delete your accounts, you’re not just unplugging from the chaos—you’re giving up ground in a war we cannot afford to lose.

This is an Information War—And You’re a Soldier in It

Think about it: When progressives get fed up and leave, what happens? Does the platform collapse? Do the fascists follow us out the door?

No. They stay. They consolidate power. They dominate the conversation. And before you know it, what was once a battlefield becomes an occupation.

We’ve seen this happen again and again.

Twitter/X used to be a place where journalists, activists, and regular people could organize and push back against power. Now? It’s an authoritarian propaganda machine, handing out blue checks to racists and bots while throttling voices that challenge them.

Facebook turned into a breeding ground for right-wing disinformation because conservatives stayed and gamed the algorithm while progressives either left or got shadowbanned.

YouTube still overwhelmingly promotes reactionary voices because the right figured out how to work the system while we spent years debating whether we even wanted to engage.

They don’t quit. They don’t retreat. And that’s why they win.

Meanwhile, progressives, liberals, and leftists—people who actually care about truth and democracy—keep making the same mistake: we think we can abandon these platforms and that doing so will send a message.

It doesn’t.

You know what it does do? It leaves them wide open for bad actors to move in unchallenged.

Your Account Is More Than Just an Account—It’s a Strategic Asset

I know, I know. It feels self-important to think of your little Twitter or Instagram account as part of some grand strategy. But it is.

Even if you’re not some high-profile journalist or viral-thread machine, your digital presence matters. Your account—your posts, your followers, your history—has weight. When you delete it, that weight is gone. It’s not just disappearing; it’s being replaced by someone who will use that space to push their own agenda.

And make no mistake: the right is incredibly disciplined about this.

They see social media as a battlefield, not just a place to shitpost. They organize, they flood the comments, they game the algorithms. They know that dominance online translates to dominance in the real world.

When they say “own the libs,” they don’t just mean it as a joke—they mean it literally. They want to drive us off these platforms so their narratives are the only ones left standing.

We don’t let them.

Let Your Account Go Dormant—Not Dead

If you really need a break, take it. Step back. Mute the noise. But don’t nuke your presence.

Instead:

• Log out, don’t delete. Your account staying up means your past posts, your followers, your network—it all still exists. You can pick up where you left off when you’re ready.

• Use it strategically. You don’t have to post every day. But if something big happens—an election, a major disinformation push, a moment that demands action—you’ll still have a platform to amplify the truth.

• Think long-term. Right now, we’re regrouping. Platforms like BlueSky give us space to breathe and build community. But at some point, we will need to go back, to fight where the fight is happening. When that time comes, it’s a lot easier to reactivate a dormant account than to start from scratch.

It Might Not Be Too Late—Check Before It’s Gone for Good

If you’ve already deleted your account, there’s still hope. Many platforms don’t erase your presence right away—they give you a grace period before full deletion kicks in.

• Twitter/X: Accounts can often be restored within 30 days after deletion.

• Facebook & Instagram: Typically allow a 30-day window to cancel account deletion.

• YouTube & Google Accounts: May give you several weeks before data is permanently erased.

• Reddit & TikTok: Some accounts can be reactivated if accessed within a limited timeframe.

If you’ve already hit delete, go back and check. Log in, see if your account is still recoverable, and save it before it’s too late.

Even if you never plan to post again, keeping your account alive means holding onto your history, your reach, and your ability to return when the fight demands it.

Regroup, Recharge, Then Return

This is not about enjoying social media. It’s not about whether BlueSky is more pleasant than Twitter or whether you personally get anything out of being on Facebook. This is warfare, and in warfare, you don’t just abandon territory because it’s uncomfortable.

Right now, we’re in a phase of consolidation. We’re rebuilding. That’s fine. But let’s be clear: at some point, we will need to go back. And when that day comes, we won’t just return—we’ll return with force.

That’s where The American Manifesto comes in. This isn’t just a publication; it’s a hub for the resistance. A place to sharpen our messaging, refine our strategies, and arm ourselves with the kind of rhetoric that keeps us on the offensive, not the defensive.

The right dominates because they control the narrative. They understand repetition, framing, and the power of setting the terms of the debate. Too often, progressives get stuck reacting instead of leading. That stops here.

If you’re reading this at The American Manifesto, you’re already part of the solution. Learn the messaging. Spread it. The more of us who can confidently dismantle disinformation, call out hypocrisy, and push a unified, strategic message, the faster we can take back the platforms and reshape public opinion in our favor. And if you believe in this mission, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps keep this work free from paywalls, free from corporate influence, and accessible to those who need it most.

So take this time to train. Build your knowledge. Strengthen your arguments. Grow your network. Because the sooner we have the numbers, the sooner we take back the battlefield—and with it, the power to reclaim the future.

Hold the damn line. Then take it back