2504 Steps to closing your Facebook account.

That's pretty funny. I particularly enjoyed the handy food chain reference guide. Have you been working out? & I feel certain that lolcats should have been on there somewhere.

and your commenting system makes me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon

i submitted this to digg, it's that awesome. i'm not sure yet whether your comment system makes me want to gouge my eyes out, though.

comment system does not want me to gouge eyes.

Thanks for sharing, and what you think of the link from my name?

I don't actually see any issue, providing I don't form a bank heist Facebook group for my next project.

Shit, wrong link (sorry) here try this:

http://www.chrishambly.com/node/141

dude you had me giggling on this one! i am almost throwing up! (Not sure if its the drugs or the laughing):/

One of the ways I recently found out to remove all your Facebook data in one sweep (ok...maybe not in one, but in like seven steps instead of 1032) is to open another, entirely new Facebook account with no data in it, remove yourself from any networks in your previous account, and then de-activate it. Then, in your new Facebook account, change the primary e-mail address to the one associated with the old Facebook account. Since Facebook uses email addresses as the usernames for logging-in purposes, the next time you login to your new account, it will display a message asking you to confirm deleting all data related to your email address (read old Facebook account).

And since your new account has no data in it whatsoever, you can then email the Facebook people to delete the new one too.

This method involves opening a new email account but with so many (and so many crappy) web-mail services, that should hardly be a problem. I tried this method a month back (trust me...there are some crazy girls out there!!), so I am only 87% sure technique will wokr. It worked back then, but their policy might have changes by then. So let me know how this works out.

And then, in the precious time we saved being away from Facebook, we can plan a guirella army to prevent Facebook from taking over the world..just kidding...no...seriously...

--

Mudit

Surely there is something in the Data Protection Act which covers this.

I beleieve that upon request any holder of personal/sensitive data must provide you with a copy of the data and/or edit and/or delete it as desire.

I had a problem with Yahoo!, more specifically the Yahoo! Answers section. They removed a question of mine claiming I had violated the terms of use, when prompted to provide details of the question and which parts of it broke the terms of use I recieved a lame response telling me that it was in their terms of use that they do not have to provide reasons. To which I replied with a request of all personal data and posts made by myself that was held on their system. I sent that email just over 2 months ago...still no response.

It seems that these big companies don't care about the law, their users, their users privacy... all they want is money... money... money. One small person isn't going to win a lawsuit against them over a miniscule amount of data held on their systems. The internet is becoming a bad place...it just get's worse :(

P.S, I don't see any problem with the commenting system, works well for me :)

So I take it you're not going to Facebookcamp Montreal then?

That would be awesome.

Put some egg on their facebook etc..

I try to stay away from anything with camp in the title on principle. Unless the camp in question involves nifty cocktails and drag-queens. Seriously, no. I don't think I would enjoy it.

Why does your captcha work and mine doesn't???

Oh yeah and also yours work but it always thinks my first answer is wrong always.

Fkucking captchahs[as

Sorry to break it to you.. but there was a FAR easier and quicker way of getting all of your Facebook data erased than what you had to go through....

 I have several college friends that have had their facebook accounts terminated due to violations of service. I think you have 2 warnings and then they close your account. The warnings I know where for the following reasons:

1.- opened a facebook group called "stanford biatches you ain't hot" (someone complained, facebook took down the group, and sent a warning to each admin)

2.- uploaded an album full of pornographic material (same story, someone complained, etc, etc)

Nitrostar, they only deactivate you for that. your information would be locked into their servers forever since you can't login.

That was an awesome article Steven.
A person must stand up for one's rights even if some Facebook employee named Lucy is being a pain in the ass.
The main reason why I am still at Facebook is to talk to people that I saw like 10years ago.
Now Myspace is the biggest load of bullsh$t in the world.
Peace

One question: why couldn't you just remove all information from your profile, and change its email address to a nonexistent one? They might hold all your current information indefinitely, but I'm quite sure they don't hold backup records of what your information *used* to be, indefinitely.

Dude, no one golfs after a Freemason meeting.
They take place at night, it's tradition. Maybe after a charity breakfast, as they're wont to do...(I was a mason for years. I stopped attending after I took up an agnostic Buddhist view. Not in-line with the oath I took, so I couldn't honestly be a member)

In any case, here's my solution for the time being: I don't do anything online that I wouldn't want the world at large to know. I'm also a firm believer in copyleft, so do what you will with my images, but don't claim it's yours(I have witnesses...)!
If something must be really private, I use coded hints about it and then tell the person IN PERSON or on the phone.
Google is so damned convenient, and overall they do good things. They're not perfect. I did a little research when I saw that they were scanning my email for ads(which I've actually clicked a few times...not that great of stores...), but the policy seems sound.

Facebook always seemed creepy, and some recent stuff I've learned about them confirms that.

I still have no interest in FB (it went from non to less than none!). My stuff is on Flickr and I use Gmail, however... I am slowly learning more about some of these issues, and, well... what solution is there for a non developer? You summed it up beautifully ("Is this really the only choice we have left? Shitty web companies vs. shitty web companies that keep and distribute your personal data ad infinum even when you request your account to be closed?").

My question is, what is someone like me to do? Someone who knows basic html stuff, but no more, someone who is not quite stupid or uninformed, but who has a lot of work to do and a family to care for (ie no extra time)? I can follow instructions, I installed my sql db for my WP blog, etc., but I'm at a loss as to how I could, for example, organize my pics online, allowing for comments and links like Flickr does, without doing everything manually (and at this point, shelling out more dollars for some service is not a possibility) or bugging someone like you 25 times a day -- something I don't enjoy: I want to be able to deal with own shit. I just feel at a loss, like us "ordinary folk" (and sorry I don't include you in this particular ordinariness!) have a choice between bowing out completely or being royally screwed. Y'know? (Hey! The Internet is all grown up: it's turned into the real world! Great...) I would kinda like another option... Thoughts, ideas, redemptions?

Forget Facebook. The new threat for MySpace is YUWIE.. you get paid when people view your profile. Clever idea, giving advertising revenue back to the user. You also get paid for the profile views of people you refer. Check it out here.

Haha, nice story. Did you consider just polluting your Facebook so much they get pissed out and delete it for you? I can't imagine them deactivating it, considering that you could then simply reactivate it with a login. On second thought, they might keep your info anyways. 'Teva. PS: What's the issue with people knowing your name and who you're friends with? Unless you are a criminal or a ninja I don't see the point of keeping that info private.

Interesting article.

Try also this one. Change your email address in your account settings and delete the old one.

Theoritically you should be able to connect with your new email only. However the old one still works to connect to your account.

This shows how Facebook does not delete any of your personnal details from its database.

I boycott facebook;

From day 1 and until it's waning popularity death I will continue to boycott it - although jumped into facebook through my boyfriends account (with his permission) on a curiosity to what the fuss/fad was all about - I was bored after 30 minutes of 'cyber-stalker'-esque urges to check out what people I'd, intentionally, lost contact with were doing.

My boyfriend prior to this found about about the 'deactivation' rather than deletion of the account.

A database is a database is a database - all links and relationships between tables do not need to be removed for deletion to occur in 1 table, namely the user account! so why does it have to be this way for Facebook?

I'll try it. I asked how to delete my profile and I got the same template responce. I'll give it a go this weekend after pasting the link to this blog as a reason why I want to get off Facebook. I waisted so much time on Facebook.  

I've attempted to do as Mudit suggested. I didn't see a delete response, but it seemed tdelete my info anyways. I've asked customer service tp delete all accounts associated with both e-mail (message sent from both as well. I'll keep you posted as to my success or lack thereof ;)

Brian.

What email address do I send my request to delete my existing account. By your story, I've deleted all my info, mail, pics, etc. Thank you for this blog. It was extremely helpful and informative.

I would also like to know what email you used to contact facebook to have the account deleted. I have tried info@facebook.com...but get an autoreply message. I don't want an auto reply message, I'd like to get hold of some person and have them delete this dumb account. I have already deleted all other information from my account.

Thanks

I just got one now!

-------------------------------

Hi Brian,

Sorry for the delay.  Your account has been deleted.

Thanks for contacting Facebook,

Roy
Customer Support Representative
Facebook

--------------------------------------

I can't log in using either e-mail I used, so it's definitely more than just  "deactivation". Mind, I also sent e-mails to them saying I would post ANYTHING to my page, if they didn't. :)

So, it worked! You guys are great! Thanks for the tips gang!

Brian.

P.S. I just don't get anyone who doesn't care about their privacy. It's the road to totalitarianism. 

thanks...im still receiving an automated email though. i am hoping someone will respond to me soon. i have been doing this for two or so days now...and have sent several emails. and nothing as yet. how long did you have to wait to get a response??

thanks..i got through..got it deleted! yay

I really would like them to change their privacy policies, and to add a "delete" function. I did find the site fun, but not at that sort of price.

respekt!

The german facebook-clone studiVZ, which is crappier in any other aspect, at least provides an option for complete account deletion...

Howdy gang I recienty joined the gang of folks ttrying to get my account info on facebook removed. I went in and deleted my information thankfully on had it a few months and wasn't that busy. sent them an email asking to remove the account and got this response. Hi Ian, I see that you have deactivated your account. In the future, please feel free to use the 'report' buttons located near most pieces of content on the site to report people or offensive material to Facebook. If you are not able to use the report buttons for any reason, please write to us at info@facebook.com with a link to the person or offensive material and a description of the problem. We will then review this material and take the appropriate action. Of course, these reports will be kept confidential. If you reactivate your account, your profile will be restored in its entirety (friends, photos, interests, etc.). Reactivating the account simply requires that you log in with your email and password. Let me know if you have any further questions. Thanks for contacting Facebook, Diego Customer Support Representative Facebook are they any other steps I should take to getting my info removed peramently I reciently saw reports about third party useage of my info thank god I never filled out my personal info on the site. Our ISP rogers wants us all to go to that flicker thing I won't be using it they got rid of there shared photo section I kinda read their web site privacy and was disgusted.

Is it at all possible that people who wish their accounts deleted, have their information saved in the Facebook server archives for the purpose of including these "inactive but saved" profiles in any member count done by the company, in an effort to give inflated membership numbers for the purpose of making Facebook seem to be growing? Facebook has had its' sights set on overtaking Myspace for some time. It is my hypothesis that they keep your accounts in their archives for this exact purpose. Again, just an educated guess. Thoughts or comments anyone?

Inspired by your page I decided to "fight" Facebook from the inside, and started a group called "How to permanently delete your facebook account" that is gaining fast in popularity.

More and more people are getting concerned with Facebook's privacy issues.

For everyone still member of the site, here's a link to the group.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16929680703

Hi!

Thanks for this post. I plan to follow your footsteps soon, mainly because I dislike FB's privacy policy but also because I'm a bit too addicted to it and it gives me social stress.

Did you have to delete only those wall posts which were on your own wall or also those which you had written on someone else's wall? And what about comments on someone else's pictures, notes and stuff like that - did you have to delete those too? Is there any easy way to even see where you have commented?

Let's see if I can get my Facebook deleted... meanwhile...
Look at this series! http://pyyno.temppeli.org/amerik/index.html

Yes does anyone know what info about you, if any, they store on their servers even after you delete your account? I keep emailing to ask and I keep getting the same "all info is removed from the site after account deletion"

They closed my account in one day, ok that I had already removed all the crap. It has to be considered however, that maybe removing that crap is necessary in order to not to break some of their apps, which may be badly coded. Anyway, I do think the privacy policy of Facebook has an orwellian stench to it. I register with a false name and junk email later, to see how it develops. By the way, I think the estimates of 50 million facebook users widely circulating in the media are exaggerations, the true figure must be way lower, and even form that, all the users who have been "forced" to register by their buddies but who have never logged in since should still be substracted. On the whole, I think that privacy considerations on the whole are a big issue in the internet, but facebook is not the whole face of the devil.

I found the "How to Permanently Delete Your Facebook Account" group on Facebook. I then came to this site. I worked my ass off deleting every piece of information possible, raising my security settings to the highest possible level, changing my name to John Smith and associating a new (created solely for this purpose) E-mail address with the account. I then still E-mailed the above-listed addresses and received a response the next day saying that all of my account information had been deleted.

Oh, and I made my blog private, delted my MySpace, Photobucket and deactivated my YouTube account (YouTube leaves your channel page up and also requires you to delete your videos individually first, but at least they tell you). And just for good measure I'm going to change my E-mail address and delete the old one.

It *is* possible to get Facebook to close your account without deleting everything first, see:

http://blogs.sun.com/alanbur/entry/how_to_leave_facebook
http://blogs.sun.com/alanbur/entry/how_to_leave_facebook_followup

Well, does "i removed all my private data" imply that you actually DID delete every little post etc??

What a pyrrhic victory that would be.

Answer me this please.

hey there,
thanks for the "workaround" of how to get rid of your FB account. i will definitely try to wipe out all of my information ever posted on FB.

tho there is one question remaining:
what about the third-party-applications-companies ? who let you install their api by giving them your data...? is your data also erased here ?

cheers

How on earth did you find someone to contact. I am currently in the process of deleting all of my facebook data, but there is no piece of information anywhere on the site about how to actually get my account _deleted_

You realize that they make it hard so that if a predator was to be convicted the authority's can find out how he did it or track him down?

Hello,
I am in the process of trying to delete my facebook account - not just deactivate it but delete everything on it.
I followed the advice of a post on here by 'Fed up with FB' about changing the email addresses.
I did just this and now have a new empty (and now deactivted) account with facebook under my old accounts email address.
Does this now mean that everything is gone off my old account?

I also emailed them to delete this new account and I got an email back saying I could deactivate it. I told them I already had and wanted everything deleted as I will not be returing and hence do not want my information stored.

So, I am wondering if anyone can give me insight into if all the stuff from my old account is really gone now?
Thanks for your help with this. This page has proved to be extremely helpful in my quest.

You're a shitty, unfunny, stupid, Maddox knock off.

Now what you need to do is re-open your account with the same username and email and see if they "fill in" the blanks and use information from your previous account. Better yet, fire off another email and flat out ask if they have any of your personal information still on their servers.

I was able to get my account completely deleted (without actually having to remove anything manually) by e-mailing privacy@facebook.com, telling them that I planned to violate the terms of service by eg uploading bestiality. Now when I try to sign in I get the following message:

Incorrect email/password combination.
Facebook passwords are case sensitive. Please check your CAPS lock key.

I'm sure they keep a record of my crap somewhere. Which is really disturbing.

Hey thanks guys, the e-mail switching trick mentioned here finally got my facebook account deleted! I left them this message as I deactivated my fake account:

I made this account to make my other account get deleted. Feel free to delete this account too since I'm not coming back. I got nothing good out of this place (just some shallow contact with "friends" I have better ways to communicate with than using this site); also I'm tired of all the shitloads of utterly useless group/applications invitations, those things spread like cancer, I would get tons of those every day, even when I blocked the damn things. So yeah I have nothing useful to do here and I don't think anyone else does really, good riddance and have fun making further use out of our shitty society's collective stupidity

... you still have your facebook link in the footer

Nice fuckin art-icle. its a good one. came across it trying to cancel facebook account. ass goblins.

Thank you so much for your help in 'deactivating' my facebook account. I was so over it and couldn't work out how to get myself out of it!

Thanks again.......

Facebook absolutely retains your personal data. The government, first and foremost, and probably groups with money who want to work on mass purchase scales, will at some time want access to that data. Even beyond the visible life of Facebook will be the business they do with what they have after.

Fighting the Man or the grid probably just got that much harder if you got on Facebook. Sux.

I opened a facebook account about a month ago just to check it out. Today I decided I was fed up with all the stupid invitations for applications, requests, posts and "your friend did this", "the other one did that" and so forth. But, oh what a surprise, when I decided to delete the account I only had the option to deactivate it. Before proceeding I looked up in the www about deleting the account and came across this site. Well I did everything stevenmansour suggested and my account was (or wasn't really?) deleted. I actually sent the e-mail at privacy(at)facebook.com telling them I deleted all personal data in the account and wish to have it removed. I got a reply within a few hours from another three-letter named employee (Joe, Pam, Sam etc!) that my account was removed from their systems (or at least this is what they claim!) Anyway when I tried to login afain it didn't say anything about reactivating my account.

Thanks for the advise!

Hi again,
here's an update of the current status of my group "How to permanently delete your facebook account" as requested.

a) There are currently 2440 members of the group and an additional 1436 who hasn't replied to invitations.

b) Although it's hard to tell if it has an actual effect, I have received a lot of positive feedback. Some from people wanting to delete their account immediately, some joining the group for "future reference". Actually quite a few PMs from people wanting ME to delete their account! :P

c) I haven't received any response/warnings from Facebook's staff.

Here's a screenshot: http://www.freeimagehost.eu/image/69c3611819605

I semi-regularly post updates to the group about Facebook's "evil deeds" and public apologies, but don't actually encourage people to leave Facebook. (That would be, as you point out, mindbogglingly ironic! :) ). I just promote the idea that IF one would like to leave, it should be as simple as clicking a button...

For those of you still members of Facebook and interested in the group, check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16929680703

Happy new year!

Hey, my account has been disabled for apparent misuse. How can i go about deleting all my data, even though now i actually cant login. Data Protection Act is such a great act in UK but dnt know how much i can use it with Facebook.

How can you be sure your personal profile/information is deleted? Facebook can have your information backed up somewhere else. I absolutely believe that Facebook is functioning with the government and/or the freemason-secret society/NWO groups and cataloging all you idiots personal information. Your birth date, hometown, who you know, who you are related to, what you like to eat, your likes/dislikes, your relationships, your thoughts, your actions are all being watched.

Go ahead and throw away your freedom and privacy - [facebook] it's "hip" and "cool"

haha, i love how my name is "incognito" that's actually my favorite word in a way, anyway. I salute you for this awesome post or whatever it was. WOW. it was so entertaining. I would say better than harry potter books because I actually read every word of this! Kudos to you man. So, even though our facebook is like say completely private, facebook can still access our things? That sucks! It sucks even more for those losers that have their cell phones, land lines, and addresses on there, thinking it's all "private." Anyway, I have one more question. So, the events I create and I give away my address, phone numbers are stored? So, if I delete my events, will it be permanently deleted? Once again, thanks for this post. haha.

Hey,

Thank you so much for this post! You have no idea what a big help it's been.

I got a facebook about 9 months ago and kept the damn thing, quite unwillingly for the past 9 months, because I have had no way of deleting it..that was until I found you & came across this post!

So thanks again!