4 ms·

Well, if that's the case, they can easily switch to "show 'deleted' content" - removing your comments doesn't delete them from Reddit's DB.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
AlecSchueler 3y ago
Most deletion apps I've seen also offer the ability to redact your comments with nonsense edits before deletion.
- rtkwe 3y ago
  That does assume that reddit actually updates the comment entry in their backend instead of keeping histories of the edits which I'm not sure we've had any insight into.
  - pkulak 3y ago
    Keeping a history is far more work (and cost!) than maintaining a deleted flag. I'm inclined to believe they don't keep a history.
    - ilyt 3y ago
      Actually being able to show history of edits would be a nice feature tbh.
    - balder1991 3y ago
      That’s my assumption too, keeping a history for every user increases complexity tenfold, while flagging deleted comments seems to be a common practice even in smaller companies because it’s so simple. Another user said they tried the data dump GDPR request and the comments included deleted comments but only the edited version, so I guess this can be verified at least.
yawnr 3y ago
"When it became known that post edits were not saved but post deletions were saved, code was added to edit your post prior to deletion."
mynameisvlad 3y ago
To add to the other comments, they have confirmed in the past they don’t keep track of history. That could have changed, sure, but nothing indicates that is the case. You could also go the GDPR route and request all your data be deleted, if you are subject to that. They would be forced to comply with that request.
- blibble 3y ago
  I did a GDPR request and it showed the content of my deleted comments but if you overwrite first with garbage then delete that's what shows up in the dump
  - mynameisvlad 3y ago
    Nice. I wouldn’t have expected them to have changed this but it’s good to see it at least partially confirmed.
  - PaulKeeble 3y ago
    Which is how shreddit works, it changes it to garbage then deletes it.
- cinntaile 3y ago
  GDPR has exceptions, this would be such an exception that doesn't allow you to simply invoke GDPR and get everything deleted. They just have to anonymize the poster by deleting their signature, avatar, profile,... while the posts can stay intact (unless they contain personal info).
  - mynameisvlad 3y ago
    > (unless they contain personal info) Do you think they are going to go through each of your comments individually to determine if it contains personal info or not? That requires actual time and effort, and as an individual user you or your comments are nowhere even remotely in the vicinity of important enough for that. It’s far easier for them to take the loss and delete wholesale. Do they do this? I don’t know, I haven’t done it. But it certainly could be argued that by them not doing this, they are not fully complying with the requirements of a GDPR deletion request.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

AlecSchueler 3y ago

Most deletion apps I've seen also offer the ability to redact your comments with nonsense edits before deletion.

rtkwe 3y ago
That does assume that reddit actually updates the comment entry in their backend instead of keeping histories of the edits which I'm not sure we've had any insight into.
- pkulak 3y ago
  Keeping a history is far more work (and cost!) than maintaining a deleted flag. I'm inclined to believe they don't keep a history.
  - ilyt 3y ago
    Actually being able to show history of edits would be a nice feature tbh.
  - balder1991 3y ago
    That’s my assumption too, keeping a history for every user increases complexity tenfold, while flagging deleted comments seems to be a common practice even in smaller companies because it’s so simple. Another user said they tried the data dump GDPR request and the comments included deleted comments but only the edited version, so I guess this can be verified at least.

yawnr 3y ago

"When it became known that post edits were not saved but post deletions were saved, code was added to edit your post prior to deletion."

mynameisvlad 3y ago

To add to the other comments, they have confirmed in the past they don’t keep track of history. That could have changed, sure, but nothing indicates that is the case. You could also go the GDPR route and request all your data be deleted, if you are subject to that. They would be forced to comply with that request.

blibble 3y ago
I did a GDPR request and it showed the content of my deleted comments but if you overwrite first with garbage then delete that's what shows up in the dump
- mynameisvlad 3y ago
  Nice. I wouldn’t have expected them to have changed this but it’s good to see it at least partially confirmed.
- PaulKeeble 3y ago
  Which is how shreddit works, it changes it to garbage then deletes it.
cinntaile 3y ago
GDPR has exceptions, this would be such an exception that doesn't allow you to simply invoke GDPR and get everything deleted. They just have to anonymize the poster by deleting their signature, avatar, profile,... while the posts can stay intact (unless they contain personal info).
- mynameisvlad 3y ago
  > (unless they contain personal info) Do you think they are going to go through each of your comments individually to determine if it contains personal info or not? That requires actual time and effort, and as an individual user you or your comments are nowhere even remotely in the vicinity of important enough for that. It’s far easier for them to take the loss and delete wholesale. Do they do this? I don’t know, I haven’t done it. But it certainly could be argued that by them not doing this, they are not fully complying with the requirements of a GDPR deletion request.