What happens to the @POTUS Twitter account after the election?

ByDanny Clemens KTRK logo
President Barack Obama speaks during a "Twitter Town Hall" in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 6, 2011.
AP-AP

WASHINGTON, DC (KTRK) -- Here's a 21st century dilemma if there ever was one: What happens to the @POTUS Twitter account and other social media handles when a new POTUS is inaugurated?

President Obama's was the first administration to embrace social media, launching a robust online presence that spans Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumble, Medium and other platforms, but will POTUS 45 inherit Obama's massive social media following?

Yes, the White House announced, although with one caveat -- President Trump will inherit all of the official White House social media handles and followers, but not their existing content, giving the next President a fresh start on social media.

All of President Obama's tweets will be archived under the newly created @POTUS44 handle, which will be administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Mere hours after Trump's inauguration, Obama resumed tweeting on his original @BarackObama handle.

NARA will archive the administration's other Twitter, Facebook and Instagram profiles (like @WhiteHouse, @FLOTUS, @PressSec, and @VP) under similar Obama-specific handles.

Other digital initiatives, like WhiteHouse.Gov and petition platform We The People, will have their content archived but be made available for use by future administrations.