There has been a lot of discussion recently about Facebook’s policies concerning our information and what is and isn’t private (not much unless you opt-out). Here is the Evolution of Privacy on Facebook(or perhaps de-evolution) and Wired’s article, Facebook’s Gone Rogue: It’s Time for an Open Alternative. Fast Company also has an article by Gina Trapani about the Facebook settings that we need to check now.
Some people, however, have had with Facebook and just want to delete their accounts. So, here’s how to do it but be forewarned – it’s easier said than truly done.
- Go to Account > Account Settings in the top right navigation bar.
- On the next page the first tab is called Settings and the last section is Deactivate. Click on that to deactivate your account.
- Notice that it says “Deactivate” not “Delete”.
- According to Facebook, your account information will no longer be available to other users but your account still exists on their servers. (Are they still using the data?) They say they keep the account information in case you decide to reinstate your account. Then all of your account information will still be available exactly as you left it.
“If you deactivate your account from the “Deactivate Account” section on the Account page, your profile and all information associated with it are immediately made inaccessible to other Facebook users. What this means is that you effectively disappear from the Facebook service. However, if you want to reactivate at some point, we do save your profile information (friends, photos, interests, etc.), and your account will look just the way it did when you deactivated if you decide to reactivate it.”
- If you really really want to delete your Facebook account, you have to contact Facebook to do that. When logged into Facebook go to this page https://ssl.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account and click on the Submit button. They your Facebook will be really and truly gone (or so they say ;-)
I had an open profile before the recent Facebook changes. Almost anything on my profile was available to anyone except maybe my email address. So, I’m not as concerned about the changes as others are. I’m a little weirded out by the thought of the info showing up on other sitesand Facebooks apparent goal of controlling the Internet and I think the new settings should be opt-in rather than opt-out but I’m not as bothered about is as many are. I’m also of the opinion that privacy, especially online, doesn’t really exist.
Online privacy may be an oxymoron, but like those links and others elaborate, there is a difference between telling your customer her data is private…and later removing that curtain without asking. That’s why people are deleting their accounts.
.-= Ari Herzog´s last blog ..Redesigning My Blog Layout: Do You Like? =-.
Hi Ari – I think that people who have had accounts for longer, like you, are bothered more about the changes than others. I haven’t had a Facebook account for very long and it’s never been that private.
I have a feeling that Facebook is going to go the way of MySpace though.
Excellent article Kim. I just linked to it from a blog article we written titled, “10 Reasons To Delete Your Facebook Account” located here: activerain dot com/blogsview/1636106/10-reasons-to-delete-your-facebook-account
.-= Colleen´s last blog ..West Pasco Washington Homes For Sale =-.
Hi Colleen – Thanks for the link :-)
I pretty much agree with Ari – just like you I never considered anything I put on Facebook to be private but I know many people who did, and those people went ahead to post things that they wouldn’t want just anyone to have access to.
.-= vered – blogger for hire´s last blog ..Coping With Motherhood =-.
Hi Vered – That’s true. I do wonder why people would post stuff that they wouldn’t want others to see – even if Facebook didn’t change their policies there could always be a bug or security breach. That happened with Facebook chat last week.
I hope it’s not as hard as deleting a my space account. I tried to do that once and it was just about impossible to do. I’d rather just let it sit idle then deal with that.
Hi Matthew – You can “delete” it but it seems that Facebook still holds on to the data.
Hmm, I deleted last year…or did I just deactivate?
Not too worried, i never did or added anything to it.
.-= Dennis Edell | Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..Warning: 8 Posts Coming Back to Back =-.
Hi Dennis – The account may very well still exist – but if you didn’t post anything than they aren’t holiday onto anything.
I have an old facebook account that I want to delete that an old job had me open so I’ll give it a whirl.
Thanks!
.-= Leona Griffin´s last blog ..Google SEO – Top Companies & Prices =-.
Hi Leona – If you want to completely get rid of it, be sure to delete it and not just deactivate it.
Hi Vered – That’s true. I do wonder why people would post stuff that they wouldn’t want others to see – even if Facebook didn’t change their policies there could always be a bug or security breach. That happened with Facebook chat last week.