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How to permanently delete a Facebook account

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Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#21

Post by enneff »

kybernetyk wrote: post #19
thejosh wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if someone knew your password and requested it to be deleted? Wouldn't you be "Why can't they just not delete it after a period of days?"?

Ah, the old security vs freedom debate. I would know whom to blame if I had used a weak password that got cracked in order to delete my account. And I think you should expect the same from every reasonable adult. But yeah, FB should add a stronger auth for that dialog - more than a password and a captcha field.

> And I think you should expect the same from every reasonable adult.

FYI: Facebook is not primarily populated by reasonable adults.

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#22

Post by philjackson »

Peroni wrote: post #6
codesuela wrote: post #2

pretty sure this is not a real full delete. Probably just switches around the profile_status field: 0 - visible/default/active 1 - deactivated 2 - it is gone, really! I swear! crosses fingers 3 - suspended for tos abuse (we don't like you but your data might be valuable at some point) edit: also to be fair: 4 - memorial mode

Coincidentally, Adam Hupp from FB spoke at HN London last night and he made a comment that when you permanently delete your facebook account, they do actually wipe all the data stored on you. In Europe at least, there are significant due diligence processes that they are legally required to follow in this regard.

Interesting. I know they use HDFS in bits of the infrastructure from which it's not particularly easy to delete stuff as it's append-only.

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#23

Post by wheaties »

kybernetyk wrote: post #16

> Your account has been deactivated from the site and will be permanently deleted within 14 days. If you log into your account within the next 14 days, you will have the option to cancel your request. I guess I better delete all cookies before I accidentally get logged in back. Why can't they just delete it?

Wait, you're telling me they'll auto log you back in? I recently found out I have a facebook account. I had no idea I had one but after a password reset and visit to that page I figured in 14 days it was a settled matter. Wtf, facebook!? Seriously?

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#24

Post by martinml »

officemonkey wrote: post #20
martinml wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems so: https://plus.google.com/u/0/downgrade/

Thank you. I never use Google+ and I was so irritated by their youtube migration attempts recently that I didn't look back.

That's weird. I got asked _once_ if I wanted to migrate my YouTube account to G+, I said no, and never got asked again.

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#25

Post by officemonkey »

restlessmedia wrote: post #14
paulannesley wrote: post #10

Worth adding, because it's not mentioned on the linked page: When I deleted my account in 2010, there was a one month cooling off period, during which any sign-in would cancel the deletion request. Perhaps that's sensible to catch malicious/accidental deletions, but I imagine it also makes it hard for Facebook addicts to leave.

This is very true. I can't bear the deafening sound of trumpets blowing on FB so rarely visit it. On occasions though, it's service as a 'Friends Reunited v2' works well for me.

That's exactly what I used Linkedin for. Don't use the service, but it's a handy way to keep up with my extended business network.

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#26

Post by alan_cx »

In the UK there are laws requiring businesses to retain certain data for several years, so that the authorities can get at it if they need it for evidence in the future. Yeah, I know...

So, is facebook bound by the same sort of laws? If not in the US, what about the UK and other counties? Are there different policies per country, or does FB only do what US law says, if it says anything at all.

If they are bound by such laws, then we cant really blame FB for keeping the data. They may have no choice. Also, by then, the likes of the NSA/GCHQ could already have a copy of such data.

I went through this delete procedure a while ago. I don't know how I try to find out if my data was deleted or not. No way do I want to try to login as I am worried it will reactivate my account and data. So, I'm just left with some one's say so.

I wonder if in the UK a freedom of information act application would reveal it?

Added: How do you even contact facebook? Looked at their site and I see nothing. Of course in order to ask on a FB forum you need to sign up. Is there a simple email address?

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#27

Post by kybernetyk »

enneff wrote: post #21
kybernetyk wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, the old security vs freedom debate. I would know whom to blame if I had used a weak password that got cracked in order to delete my account. And I think you should expect the same from every reasonable adult. But yeah, FB should add a stronger auth for that dialog - more than a password and a captcha field.

> And I think you should expect the same from every reasonable adult. FYI: Facebook is not primarily populated by reasonable adults.

Can minors legally accept a contract like the Facebook TOS in the US? (Real question, I'm not an US citizen and not a lawyer).

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#28

Post by random42 »

kybernetyk wrote: post #16

> Your account has been deactivated from the site and will be permanently deleted within 14 days. If you log into your account within the next 14 days, you will have the option to cancel your request. I guess I better delete all cookies before I accidentally get logged in back. Why can't they just delete it?

They can — they just do not want to. There are huge chances (anecdotal experience) of people reactivating their accounts and FB wants to keep its social graph enriched.

Re: How to permanently delete a Facebook account

#30

Post by kybernetyk »

wheaties wrote: post #23
kybernetyk wrote: post #16

> Your account has been deactivated from the site and will be permanently deleted within 14 days. If you log into your account within the next 14 days, you will have the option to cancel your request. I guess I better delete all cookies before I accidentally get logged in back. Why can't they just delete it?

Wait, you're telling me they'll auto log you back in? I recently found out I have a facebook account. I had no idea I had one but after a password reset and visit to that page I figured in 14 days it was a settled matter. Wtf, facebook!? Seriously?

I don't think they perform an explicit auto log in to cancel your delete request but mis-clicking a like button (or clicking on a harmless LOOK AT THAT FUNNY CAT PICTURE-URL in an IM chat, etc) might trigger a log in.

They certainly track you even if you're not logged in so who knows what javascript trickery they're up to to make logging in 'easier'.

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