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Facebook Adds Delete Account Option

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the and-stay-out dept.

roseability writes "Facebook have quietly added the ability to delete you account. 'Deactivate Account', under Account Setting, has become 'Deactivate or Delete Account', and when checked it purports to permanently delete your account and all information you have shared. Facebook is actually willing to erase your data permanently? They must be counting on very few people doing so." Mixed reports on this: perhaps this is a limited test?

6 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. I deleted my account months ago by FictionPimp · · Score: 5, Informative

    They have always had an option to delete your account or deactivate. They just made finding the delete function easier now.

    1. Re:I deleted my account months ago by betterunixthanunix · · Score: 3, Informative

      What is new is that deleting your account is now in the same place as "deactivating" it, which should help alleviate some of the confusion people had earlier.

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      Palm trees and 8
  2. Re:If this would allow us to get rid of... by bacon+volcano · · Score: 5, Informative

    There was a good article in the New York Times about this a week or so ago. It's actually a bit of an issue for the site. Turns out they do have a way of handling it, but it's far from perfect.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/technology/18death.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=facebook%20dead&st=cse

  3. They only made it easier to do by PalmKiller · · Score: 3, Informative

    You have always been able to go here to delete your facebook account which was easy to find in google http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account They have only made it simpler for those who take things at face value (pun intended).

  4. Re:is "delete" really an option? by Goaway · · Score: 5, Informative

    I did the exact same thing, and got the same result. However, I recalled hearing that the option has existed for some time already, and has just been very well hidden.

    I looked it up, and the trick is to go to this address:

    http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account

  5. Re:Will it delete your data? by neoform · · Score: 4, Informative

    In several countries (eg. Canada) they cannot retain the info once you've requested it deleted. They also cannot simply sell it to whomever they want.

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    MABASPLOOM!