7 ms·

I deleted Instagram 6 months ago. I recently came into contact with somebody in person, and they told me that they were aware I was deleting social media becaus

I deleted Instagram 6 months ago. I recently came into contact with somebody in person, and they told me that they were aware I was deleting social media because Instagram told them to re-invite me back to the platform. It was this moment that I realized you're never truly out of the system. What is the point of me deleting my Instagram if I am still showing up on people's application?

TrainedMonkey 9y ago
Are you deleting ig for your own benefit or for benefit of others? If it bothers you a lot - talk to other people about it and explain your reasons. If not - stop worrying about it. There are much more important things to do. For example spending time with your friends and loved ones or doing things you like.
- squid_ca 9y ago
  The point is - how does Instagram know you should be re-invited if you are deleted? If you are really deleted, they shouldn't know you were ever a member.
  - sjburt 9y ago
    If you have an FB account, your FB friends who use Instagram will see prompts to invite you to Instagram.
    - TrainedMonkey 9y ago
      I think OP's point was that the message is specifically to re-invite and is different from normal sell-out-your-friends-to-us-so-we-can-get-better-valuation. This means that, at the very least, IG retains some sort of marker/metadata about you after account deletion.
JoshMnem 9y ago
It's a form of gaslighting. They are manipulating each of your realities in unethical ways.
- alsetmusic 9y ago
  > It's a form of gaslighting. They are manipulating each of your realities in unethical ways. This is the third time you’ve used the term in this subthread. It appeared in your original comment and now twice more. I am reminded of when a media outlet deliberately associates a politician with a given phrase. It looks like an attempt at marketing.
  - lainga 9y ago
    Maybe Josh is trying to gaslight you on the use of the word gaslight.
  - JoshMnem 9y ago
    I'm not sure what other term to use. Whenever that site communicated with me I got the impression that I was talking with a manipulative gaslighter. It doesn't necessarily result in one questioning their own sanity, but it's definitely an attempt to manipulate the realities of the users by showing them different information that result in certain behaviors. One person is shown one thing that makes them behave a certain way. The other person is shown the results of the behaviors, assuming a different cause of the behaviors, which is not exactly the reality. None of those people I was shown will miss me. They have no idea that their likenesses are being used to try to manipulate me. Very few people know that it is happening at all, because each person sees a different thing. I think of it as "perception fencing", where barriers and openings are created to manipulate the information you consume and the behaviors that result, but I'm not sure that people would know exactly what I'm referring to if I use that term. If you have a better term, feel free to suggest it.
    - rhizome 9y ago
      Why can't it just be "manipulation?" There doesn't need to be a technical or academic term for it just because it uses technology.
zaphar 9y ago
While I agree that they shouldn't be using you information that way, they do need to keep a record that you previously existed in the system. If they don't then a different problem arises. Someone could sign up again pretending to be you and then cause real harm to you through that impersonation.
- rhizome 9y ago
  Are you saying that as soon as I signed up to IG with an email address and started posting pictures, IG then knew who I was to the extent that they can prevent impersonation after I delete my account? I'm skeptical. They do not need to keep a record that I previously existed in their system. There is literally nothing other than marketing/bizdev that derives value from this.

TrainedMonkey 9y ago

Are you deleting ig for your own benefit or for benefit of others? If it bothers you a lot - talk to other people about it and explain your reasons. If not - stop worrying about it. There are much more important things to do. For example spending time with your friends and loved ones or doing things you like.

squid_ca 9y ago
The point is - how does Instagram know you should be re-invited if you are deleted? If you are really deleted, they shouldn't know you were ever a member.
- sjburt 9y ago
  If you have an FB account, your FB friends who use Instagram will see prompts to invite you to Instagram.
  - TrainedMonkey 9y ago
    I think OP's point was that the message is specifically to re-invite and is different from normal sell-out-your-friends-to-us-so-we-can-get-better-valuation. This means that, at the very least, IG retains some sort of marker/metadata about you after account deletion.

JoshMnem 9y ago

It's a form of gaslighting. They are manipulating each of your realities in unethical ways.

alsetmusic 9y ago
> It's a form of gaslighting. They are manipulating each of your realities in unethical ways. This is the third time you’ve used the term in this subthread. It appeared in your original comment and now twice more. I am reminded of when a media outlet deliberately associates a politician with a given phrase. It looks like an attempt at marketing.
- lainga 9y ago
  Maybe Josh is trying to gaslight you on the use of the word gaslight.
- JoshMnem 9y ago
  I'm not sure what other term to use. Whenever that site communicated with me I got the impression that I was talking with a manipulative gaslighter. It doesn't necessarily result in one questioning their own sanity, but it's definitely an attempt to manipulate the realities of the users by showing them different information that result in certain behaviors. One person is shown one thing that makes them behave a certain way. The other person is shown the results of the behaviors, assuming a different cause of the behaviors, which is not exactly the reality. None of those people I was shown will miss me. They have no idea that their likenesses are being used to try to manipulate me. Very few people know that it is happening at all, because each person sees a different thing. I think of it as "perception fencing", where barriers and openings are created to manipulate the information you consume and the behaviors that result, but I'm not sure that people would know exactly what I'm referring to if I use that term. If you have a better term, feel free to suggest it.
  - rhizome 9y ago
    Why can't it just be "manipulation?" There doesn't need to be a technical or academic term for it just because it uses technology.

zaphar 9y ago

While I agree that they shouldn't be using you information that way, they do need to keep a record that you previously existed in the system. If they don't then a different problem arises. Someone could sign up again pretending to be you and then cause real harm to you through that impersonation.

rhizome 9y ago
Are you saying that as soon as I signed up to IG with an email address and started posting pictures, IG then knew who I was to the extent that they can prevent impersonation after I delete my account? I'm skeptical. They do not need to keep a record that I previously existed in their system. There is literally nothing other than marketing/bizdev that derives value from this.