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Facebook experiments with a button to delete your account
Getting rid of a Facebook account is notoriously difficult, but it may have just become doable with a new "delete account" button that Facebook is testing. Previously, users were able to deactivate their accounts -- although it wasn't too easy -- but Facebook would keep the data on file, so if the user came back to the Facebook flock, they could pick up where they left off. "Delete" is more permanent than "deactivate" -- it removes all your info, and it doesn't take 14 days of inactivity to complete like the deactivate option. That's good, but like everything else about Facebook, there's a catch: Facebook's terms of service allow them to hold onto your information, even when you delete the account.
That means the big difference between deactivate and delete isn't whether Facebook keeps your data -- Facebook always keeps your data -- it's whether you can get it back if you start an account again.
Delete is currently only available to a small number of users. None of us at Download Squad have the option yet, so let us know if it appears on your account.
[via TheNextWeb]
Comments
4
Subscribe to commentsybdJul 27th 2010 2:39PM
Still getting to keep your data regardless... ridiculous.
I'm glad there's literally nothing useful on my account (nor has there been) other my name and a couple of pictures.
GavJul 27th 2010 4:19PM
Do Facebook operate within the United Kingdom? If so, for UK users at least, does anybody know if they'd fall foul of the Data Protection Act 1998?
"Personal information may be kept for no longer than is necessary and must be kept up to date."
"Data may only be used for the specific purposes for which it was collected."
The latter point may be harder to prove, but in my eyes, the data was given so you could be a Facebook user and, as you're no longer a Facebook user, the data should no longer be used by Facebook.
GavJul 27th 2010 4:19PM
Do Facebook operate within the United Kingdom? If so, for UK users at least, does anybody know if they'd fall foul of the Data Protection Act 1998?
"Personal information may be kept for no longer than is necessary and must be kept up to date."
"Data may only be used for the specific purposes for which it was collected."
The latter point may be harder to prove, but in my eyes, the data was given so you could be a Facebook user and, as you're no longer a Facebook user, the data should no longer be used by Facebook.
amy jAug 24th 2010 1:22PM
i am so sick of facebook, so i went to do the whole i have to de-activated my account and i actually had the delete button on my page! ha its funny tho because it still says i can log in in the next two weeks....so delete is just a better term for the company but really non of the users.