How to check if Facebook really deleted my account after deactivation?


Recommended Posts

Two days ago, and after a lot of consideration, and after downloading the zip of my profile, I deactivated my Facebook account, and want everything deleted from Facebook servers.

Reading around, I found that Facebook leave the account data on their servers in case someone decide to come back, and the advice is not to have any interaction with Facebook for 14 days to have you account really deleted off the servers. but how can I be sure it is deleted after that time?

The problem is that I can't try to login, as when I do so, it signs in saying "Welcome back", and reactivates everything. What i expect is a message that my account is deactivated, and an option to enable or not, but this is not what happens.

Any ideas?

for the moment, to be sure that in no case i do activities related to facebook, i added Facebook urls in my windows "hosts" file to redirect them to 127.0.0.1, and deleted all cookies.....

  • 4 months later...

As i mentioned in my post in October, I deactivated my Facebook to have everything cancelled and removed from Facebook servers, but still they have my data:

I tried now to do a forgot my password, put only my username and they sent to 2 email addresses that were configured with my account the recover procedure to follow to reset my password..

WHAT CAN I DO TO HAVE MY ACCOUNT DEFINITIVELY REMOVED !?!

As i mentioned in my post in October, I deactivated my Facebook to have everything cancelled and removed from Facebook servers, but still they have my data:

I tried now to do a forgot my password, put only my username and they sent to 2 email addresses that were configured with my account the recover procedure to follow to reset my password..

WHAT CAN I DO TO HAVE MY ACCOUNT DEFINITIVELY REMOVED !?!

You can't. Plain and simple.

As i mentioned in my post in October, I deactivated my Facebook to have everything cancelled and removed from Facebook servers, but still they have my data:

I tried now to do a forgot my password, put only my username and they sent to 2 email addresses that were configured with my account the recover procedure to follow to reset my password..

WHAT CAN I DO TO HAVE MY ACCOUNT DEFINITIVELY REMOVED !?!

You can't really, anything you upload to facebook becomes part of their property. It's in the ToS so check that next time before clicking I agree.

They say they will try to delete your data but obviously tags and other such information will remain even though it may not be linked back to your original account. I think your comments are deleted as well however?

why do you care so much? Just stop visiting the site, and stop worrying about it. If you aren't active.. you aren't accepting friends.. if you were smart you locked down your account so anything people could see was blocked. It doesn't need to be removed off the face of the earth.

As i mentioned in my post in October, I deactivated my Facebook to have everything cancelled and removed from Facebook servers, but still they have my data:

I tried now to do a forgot my password, put only my username and they sent to 2 email addresses that were configured with my account the recover procedure to follow to reset my password..

WHAT CAN I DO TO HAVE MY ACCOUNT DEFINITIVELY REMOVED !?!

why dont you re-activate your account, change all your data to new false values (i.e. change your name to steve smith, 123 fake street, etc) then de-activate it again

if your really worried, change your email to a brand new one, just make a new gmail or hotmail account for this purpose

I'm going to take a gander and say their database can not work like that.

Imagine if you could actually delete your account, removing all of your photos, comments etc. It wouldn't just effect you. It would effect your friends who you tagged in those photos, the comments you left on other people's walls, pictures and statuses. It would be like a virus, almost.

You may be able to remove your profile, but the pictures and such, I don't think you can

You can't. Plain and simple.

You can, but it's very well hidden. Plus they make it sit on their server for a few weeks, because [sarcasm]it takes a huge datacenter a long time to delete records out of a database.[/sarcasm]

As far as checking goes, just make a bogus account. If you try and log in to your "delete pending" account, it'll automatically reactivate it again, making you start the wait cycle over again.

As for why, why not. It's the person's personal information, not Facebook property, TOS be damned. (If they own it, they can pay my f'ing mortgage.) If they wan't it removed, that's their right. They have serious issues respecting people's privacy,you shouldn't have to jump through hoops to delete your own data.

  • Like 2

Facebook can hold your data up to 2 months afaik, so it's best to simply change your password to some random generated value, and never log back in.

I'm going to take a gander and say their database can not work like that.

Imagine if you could actually delete your account, removing all of your photos, comments etc. It wouldn't just effect you. It would effect your friends who you tagged in those photos, the comments you left on other people's walls, pictures and statuses. It would be like a virus, almost.

You may be able to remove your profile, but the pictures and such, I don't think you can

You can delete anything you personally added on your profile. Or anything others added on your profile. You cannot edit/delete things others added, or your comments/posts/pictures that you have posted on others profiles/walls.

Sign back in and manually remove all your information, posts, pictures and anything else. Now deactivate your account again and your done. Also set your account privacy settings to only you and hide yourself from any search.

I'm going to take a gander and say their database can not work like that.

Imagine if you could actually delete your account, removing all of your photos, comments etc. It wouldn't just effect you. It would effect your friends who you tagged in those photos, the comments you left on other people's walls, pictures and statuses. It would be like a virus, almost.

You may be able to remove your profile, but the pictures and such, I don't think you can

It does work like that because you can delete photos, comments etc yourself. I think if you delete your account with that link above ^ it removes your photos and any comments you made or inboxes your name will change to "Facebook User" and any posts you was tagged in your name won't be linked to the profile, just plain text.

  • 5 years later...

Personally I don't believe that Facebook gets rid of everything after deletion.  That seems like a time-waster. And it just isn't a viable way for a database of their calliber ti work. So, I believe this to be a smokescreen to the user. In short, they lie. So, to answer the actual question: in my opinion, you can't. Whatever information you posted will be tucked away somewhere. Yeah, it's not fair. Yes, it's legal. Does Facebook care about the ethics of maintaining a user's dat a after they deleted their account? Not really. They are social manipulators, not productI've advetisers. Don't believe me. Think about when you went to deactivate the account? Immediately you were posed with a peer pressure emotional ploy, an attempt to exploit your emotions to keep you on Facebook,     "(these) friends will miss you." 

 

This is terrible. I've heard better peer pressure from my drunk uncle. Get real. Facebook is essentially an internet parasite. Can you make sure Facebook Deleted your data? I don't think so. Do they care? I don't think so.  They essentiallyare Data collectors, and not compensating the people who give their data away for free to Facebook to use as Facebook sees fit.  So, imho, you and I probably should stay off Facebook as long as possible

On Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 11:00 AM, pixelpixel said:

Sign back in and manually remove all your information, posts, pictures and anything else. Now deactivate your account again and your done. Also set your account privacy settings to only you and hide yourself from any search.

Bad idea. This will restart the account and totally be contrary to what this person is attempting to do. Cold Turkey is the way to go.

47 minutes ago, Chado2423 said:

Bad idea. This will restart the account and totally be contrary to what this person is attempting to do. Cold Turkey is the way to go.

That or don't use it...

 

Edit: Thread jump, sorry, didn't notice...

  • Nick H. locked this topic
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • EU says AWS and Microsoft Azure should be treated as DMA gatekeepers by Pradeep Viswanathan Under the European Commission's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a company is presumed to be a gatekeeper if it meets certain quantitative thresholds. However, the Commission can still investigate and designate a company even if it does not meet the numeric thresholds, provided the service has a major market impact. The European Commission launched its investigations into AWS and Azure on November 18, 2025, to address unfair or anti-competitive practices in the cloud sector. Today, the European Commission has informed Amazon and Microsoft of its preliminary view that their cloud computing services, AWS and Azure, should be designated as gatekeepers under the DMA. The EC highlighted that Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure are the largest and second-largest cloud computing services in the European Union. Both of these platforms act as important gateways between businesses and their customers in the EU. The EC further mentioned that AWS and Azure have reached significant turnover, built large and entrenched user bases, and benefit from high switching costs and customer lock-in. Furthermore, their operational capacity and investments appear to have outpaced those of competitors. Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said the following: It is important to note that the findings are preliminary and do not decide the final outcome. Amazon and Microsoft can now review the findings and respond to the Commission. However, if the Commission confirms its preliminary findings, it will formally designate Amazon and Microsoft as gatekeepers for AWS and Azure. Once designated, Microsoft and Amazon will have six months to bring their cloud services into full compliance with the DMA’s rules and regulations.
    • will EU users be getting the extra 1yr update for free again?
    • Samsung announces Galaxy A27 5G with 120Hz AMOLED display, expanded AI features, and more by Fiza Ali Samsung has announced the Galaxy A27 5G, its latest mid-range smartphone, bringing a handful of upgrades over last year's Galaxy A26 5G. While the changes aren't dramatic, they touch several areas that people tend to notice most in day-to-day use, including the display, performance, and software support. One of the more noticeable updates is the screen. The Galaxy A27 5G comes with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display that now supports a 120Hz refresh rate, making scrolling and animations appear smoother. Samsung has also switched to an Infinity-O punch-hole camera design, which leaves more room for the display and gives the phone a cleaner look from the front. Under the hood, the Galaxy A27 5G is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor. The company says the new chip brings improved responsiveness in multitasking, gaming, and media consumption. The company also highlights GPU performance improvements and faster memory technology, which should contribute to smoother graphics rendering, quicker data handling, and improved power efficiency. Furthermore, Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A27 5G with a 12-megapixel selfie camera that is capable of capturing a wider dynamic range and more accurate colours. Like many smartphones launched recently, the Galaxy A27 5G also places a strong focus on AI features. Circle to Search with Google now supports multi-object recognition, making it easier to search for different products or items at the same time. The tech giant says the feature can also support virtual outfit try-ons directly from compatible search results. Photo editing tools are getting some attention as well, with Object Eraser updated to deliver cleaner edits when removing unwanted objects or people from images. Meanwhile, the Voice Recorder app can now transcribe and translate speech simultaneously in one of the 22 supported languages, which could be useful for meetings, lectures, or interviews. Samsung is also expanding AI assistant options on the device, with support for Google Gemini and Perplexity alongside Bixby. The company says these assistants will work more closely with Galaxy apps, including Gallery, to simplify common tasks. Samsung continues to strengthen its long-term software support policy with the Galaxy A27 5G. The smartphone will receive up to six generations of Android OS and One UI updates, along with six years of security patches from its initial global launch. In terms of security, the device includes Samsung Knox and Knox Vault, which are designed to help protect sensitive information stored on the phone. On the flip side, while the company is positioning the Galaxy A27 5G as a step forward from its predecessor, not every change is necessarily an upgrade. One of the first things buyers may notice is the higher price tag. The device launches at $349, making it $50 more expensive than the Galaxy A26 5G's $299 starting price. The selfie camera has also been reduced from 13MP to 12MP, while the ultrawide camera drops from 8MP to 5MP. Samsung has further downgraded the phone's dust and water resistance rating from IP67 to IP64. The Galaxy A27 5G is also marginally thicker at 7.8mm. The Galaxy A27 5G will be available in select markets starting July 3 and will come in four colour options, including Black, Blue, Light Green, and Light Pink. The company will also offer Samsung Care+ coverage plans for customers seeking additional device protection.
    • Doogee and Ulefone regularly release phones with 10k-25k mAh batteries, but those are bricks. I don't understand how they could make it only weigh 220 grams with a battery that size.
    • Windows 10 quietly gets one more year of support and updates by Taras Buria Windows 10 reached its end of life at the end of 2025. Microsoft kicked off the Extended Security Updates program, aimed at giving regular consumers one more year of security-only updates. By doing so, Microsoft gave users more time and money to update their computers to a newer operating system or compatible hardware. Now, with the end of the Extended Security Updates program quickly approaching, Microsoft is making an important adjustment. Users discovered that the official support article for the program now lists a new end-of-support date: The Extended Security Updates program is not a new concept. It has been an official way for business consumers to continue receiving critical updates for unsupported Microsoft products for many years. However, all this time, it was a business-only, paid feature. With Windows 10, Microsoft brought ESU to regular consumers, allowing them to get security updates for Windows 10 past October 2025 essentially for free. When Windows 10 was approaching the end of support, many guessed that Microsoft might adjust its support timelines, and this is exactly what seems to be happening. Of course, Microsoft would love everyone to switch to new computers, such as its latest Surface devices, but in the days of ever-growing hardware prices, not everyone is lucky enough to have money for a new PC. Leaving hundreds of millions of customers with a Windows version that no longer receives security updates is a major risk that Microsoft is not willing to take. If you have a Windows 10 PC to enroll in the Extended Security Updates program, check out this guide to learn how to do so.
  • Recent Achievements

    • First Post
      kinowa earned a badge
      First Post
    • Rookie
      krychek57 went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Grand Master
      Jaybonaut went up a rank
      Grand Master
    • One Year In
      Philsl earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      437
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      168
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      133
    4. 4
      Xenon
      76
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      75
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!