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I've been locked out of Facebook for so long (due to 2FA issues), I'd just like to delete my account. But that's not possible if I can't log in. I've always w

I've been locked out of Facebook for so long (due to 2FA issues), I'd just like to delete my account. But that's not possible if I can't log in. I've always wondered how someone who is locked out of a service like Facebook is supposed to delete their content. Let's say that I'm a resident of some location with better-than-average digital privacy rights. If I can't log in to Facebook, how can I get my stuff deleted? How do people handle this in places like the EU (or maybe California)?

ceejayoz 4y ago
> How do people handle this in places like the EU (or maybe California)? Written requests to their privacy officer. datarequests@support.facebook.com It can be a bit of a pain; https://ruben.verborgh.org/facebook/emails/2019-02-15-dpo/ https://ruben.verborgh.org/facebook/emails/2019-02-15-dpo/
- jorvi 4y ago
  I’ve tried this, they indeed illegally stonewall you.
  - tluyben2 4y ago
    That’s how they rack up fines for GDPR violations. Apparently still cheaper than it is to remedy anything?
  - zenexer 4y ago
    Good. If anyone can get access to all my info by merely sending a photo of my passport, I would be very disappointed. Anyone could forge that with minimal effort.
- counttheforks 4y ago
  Reddit is worse. They will just flat out ignore you. HN isn't much better. I've emailed them asking for my data to be removed, as is my right as an EU citizen and dang simply refused saying it wouldn't be fair to other users. As if that overrides the law.
  - denton-scratch 4y ago
    dang is not subject to EU law.
    - ceejayoz 4y ago
      He's likely subject to California law, though. California residents might get a different answer to such a request. https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa > Right to delete: You can request that businesses delete personal information they collected from you and tell their service providers to do the same, subject to certain exceptions (such as if the business is legally required to keep the information).
      - pc86 4y ago
        Yes, this is how legal jurisdictions work. He can receive one request from someone in Mississippi, one from someone in California, and one from someone in the EU, and provide three completely different responses.
        ceejayoz 4y ago
        Yes, but he doesn't have to. One of my clients willingly applies GDPR to everyone, regardless of jurisdiction. If you want your data, you can get it. If you want your stuff deleted, you can do so. I think this is the ethical approach.
        GabrielTFS 4y ago
        It is also, from what I know, the legal approach. The EU perhaps doesn't have jurisdiction over a service, but what they can do is ask all the ISPs in Europe to block access to it, for example.
    - ciupicri 4y ago
      If I'm not mistaking if your site operates in the EU as in it's accessible from the EU, you have to comply with GDPR. It's the reason I can't read some American websites. The infamous: > Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market.
csunbird 4y ago
You can probably send a GDPR request for your data to be deleted, with your identity proof (e.g. an ID Card). They have to take the profile down.
nicoburns 4y ago
A written letter to their legal department, perhaps?
dsego 4y ago
I've got locked out of my instagram. Out of the blue after years & years, their algo detected "suspicious" activity. Not sure what, but they sent a recovery email, which I couldn't get to because I used some old gmail account to register long ago and lost access to that gmail account. And there is no way to recover without it, even though they have my telephone number, a facebook account is linked to it. And so, after a while I gave up and created a new instagram (and lost a bunch of followers), but the old one is still there, I have no way of taking it down.

ceejayoz 4y ago

> How do people handle this in places like the EU (or maybe California)? Written requests to their privacy officer. datarequests@support.facebook.com It can be a bit of a pain; https://ruben.verborgh.org/facebook/emails/2019-02-15-dpo/ https://ruben.verborgh.org/facebook/emails/2019-02-15-dpo/

jorvi 4y ago
I’ve tried this, they indeed illegally stonewall you.
- tluyben2 4y ago
  That’s how they rack up fines for GDPR violations. Apparently still cheaper than it is to remedy anything?
- zenexer 4y ago
  Good. If anyone can get access to all my info by merely sending a photo of my passport, I would be very disappointed. Anyone could forge that with minimal effort.
counttheforks 4y ago
Reddit is worse. They will just flat out ignore you. HN isn't much better. I've emailed them asking for my data to be removed, as is my right as an EU citizen and dang simply refused saying it wouldn't be fair to other users. As if that overrides the law.
- denton-scratch 4y ago
  dang is not subject to EU law.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    He's likely subject to California law, though. California residents might get a different answer to such a request. https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa > Right to delete: You can request that businesses delete personal information they collected from you and tell their service providers to do the same, subject to certain exceptions (such as if the business is legally required to keep the information).
    - pc86 4y ago
      Yes, this is how legal jurisdictions work. He can receive one request from someone in Mississippi, one from someone in California, and one from someone in the EU, and provide three completely different responses.
      - ceejayoz 4y ago
        Yes, but he doesn't have to. One of my clients willingly applies GDPR to everyone, regardless of jurisdiction. If you want your data, you can get it. If you want your stuff deleted, you can do so. I think this is the ethical approach.
        GabrielTFS 4y ago
        It is also, from what I know, the legal approach. The EU perhaps doesn't have jurisdiction over a service, but what they can do is ask all the ISPs in Europe to block access to it, for example.
  - ciupicri 4y ago
    If I'm not mistaking if your site operates in the EU as in it's accessible from the EU, you have to comply with GDPR. It's the reason I can't read some American websites. The infamous: > Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market.

csunbird 4y ago

You can probably send a GDPR request for your data to be deleted, with your identity proof (e.g. an ID Card). They have to take the profile down.

nicoburns 4y ago

A written letter to their legal department, perhaps?

dsego 4y ago

I've got locked out of my instagram. Out of the blue after years & years, their algo detected "suspicious" activity. Not sure what, but they sent a recovery email, which I couldn't get to because I used some old gmail account to register long ago and lost access to that gmail account. And there is no way to recover without it, even though they have my telephone number, a facebook account is linked to it. And so, after a while I gave up and created a new instagram (and lost a bunch of followers), but the old one is still there, I have no way of taking it down.