delete_old_tweets.py

import sys
import twitter
import time

# see https://python-twitter.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting_started.html

api = twitter.Api(consumer_key=CONSUMER_KEY,
                  consumer_secret=CONSUMER_SECRET,
                  access_token_key=ACCESS_TOKEN,
                  access_token_secret=ACCESS_SECRET)


def iterate_over_tweets_reverse(user_id, include_retweets=False):
    tweets = api.GetUserTimeline(user_id=user_id, count=100, trim_user=True)
    while True:
        if not tweets:
            return
        for t in tweets:
            # I assume there's a better way to check this
            if include_retweets or (not t.text.startswith("RT @")):
                yield t
        # get the next batch
        max_id = min(t.id for t in tweets)
        tweets = api.GetUserTimeline(user_id=user_id, count=100, trim_user=True, max_id=max_id)
        if min(t.id for t in tweets) == max_id:
            return


if __name__ == '__main__':
    assert len(sys.argv) == 3, "Usage: python {} USERNAME DAYS_OLD".format(sys.argv[0])

    user_id = api.GetUser(screen_name=sys.argv[1]).id
    age_to_delete = int(sys.argv[2])
    now = time.time()

    for tweet in iterate_over_tweets_reverse(user_id):
        age_in_days = int((now - tweet.created_at_in_seconds) / (24 * 60 * 60))
        if age_in_days > age_to_delete:
            print(age_in_days, tweet.text)
            api.DestroyStatus(tweet.id)