4 ms·

Does anyone know why HN doesn't allow account deletion or comment deletion after a timer, seemingly in violation of GDPR?

_zn02 3y ago
Some version of "these comments are a donation to the community and the idea of taking your ball and going home is anathema to what we are trying to build here" which is a long way of saying "we think our shit don't stink" I've recently (over two months) deleted my Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook accounts and was not impressed by what I found when I went to delete my HN account. I understand that there are other options (reset password to random gibberish, run a script to delete my comments) and none of that would provide the catharsis I aimed for so I'm still here, for now, I guess. Edit: looking at the other replies next to mine, I think "we think our shit don't stink" was an accurate description of what's going on here.
- meepmorp 3y ago
  I thought you wanted to delete your account. Why are you still here?
  - _zn02 3y ago
    Just told you, there's no delete button.
    - meepmorp 3y ago
      Yeah, but if you don't want to be here, why are you still around? You can't delete your account, but you can stop using the site.
      - _zn02 3y ago
        I answered that in my original post: "I understand that there are other options (reset password to random gibberish, run a script to delete my comments[, or, third option I'm inserting now, which seemed obvious to the point of not bothering to state it, just stop using the site]) and none of that would provide the catharsis I aimed for so I'm still here, for now, I guess."
        meepmorp 3y ago
        Oh, you just want to complain.
        _zn02 3y ago
        I don't think it's unreasonable to complain about HN not having the same functionality that every other social media site has.
  - anoonmoose 3y ago
    "I've had it with social media sites. I thought HN could be a last bastion, then I saw a dude arguing that he wasn't sure tuberculosis was as bad as it's made it out to be and decided it was just as shitty there as everywhere else. I went to delete my account and found out I couldn't, which hilariously strengthened my resolve to delete the account. I'd say thanks but I think it's extremely stupid that you're making me resort to this method to achieve the desired result that a half dozen other sites had no issue letting me get to without explaining why or waiting in a multi-day queue, so I'll just say, I hope you have a nice day."
SnoJohn 3y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23622865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23622865
fragmede 3y ago
There's nothing the GDPR that says deletion must be self serve.
EA-3167 3y ago
They absolutely do allow that, they just ask that you send them a request which they regularly respond to. That doesn't violate GDPR or CA's law, and why should it? One of the major elements of this site is that it's a building knowledge-base, at least in theory, and people randomly gouging parts of it out on a whim is unhelpful. By adding a (legally acceptable) step in between the urge to delete and the action, they toe the line while discouraging tantrums.

_zn02 3y ago

Some version of "these comments are a donation to the community and the idea of taking your ball and going home is anathema to what we are trying to build here" which is a long way of saying "we think our shit don't stink" I've recently (over two months) deleted my Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook accounts and was not impressed by what I found when I went to delete my HN account. I understand that there are other options (reset password to random gibberish, run a script to delete my comments) and none of that would provide the catharsis I aimed for so I'm still here, for now, I guess. Edit: looking at the other replies next to mine, I think "we think our shit don't stink" was an accurate description of what's going on here.

meepmorp 3y ago
I thought you wanted to delete your account. Why are you still here?
- _zn02 3y ago
  Just told you, there's no delete button.
  - meepmorp 3y ago
    Yeah, but if you don't want to be here, why are you still around? You can't delete your account, but you can stop using the site.
    - _zn02 3y ago
      I answered that in my original post: "I understand that there are other options (reset password to random gibberish, run a script to delete my comments[, or, third option I'm inserting now, which seemed obvious to the point of not bothering to state it, just stop using the site]) and none of that would provide the catharsis I aimed for so I'm still here, for now, I guess."
      - meepmorp 3y ago
        Oh, you just want to complain.
        _zn02 3y ago
        I don't think it's unreasonable to complain about HN not having the same functionality that every other social media site has.
- anoonmoose 3y ago
  "I've had it with social media sites. I thought HN could be a last bastion, then I saw a dude arguing that he wasn't sure tuberculosis was as bad as it's made it out to be and decided it was just as shitty there as everywhere else. I went to delete my account and found out I couldn't, which hilariously strengthened my resolve to delete the account. I'd say thanks but I think it's extremely stupid that you're making me resort to this method to achieve the desired result that a half dozen other sites had no issue letting me get to without explaining why or waiting in a multi-day queue, so I'll just say, I hope you have a nice day."

SnoJohn 3y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23622865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23622865

fragmede 3y ago

There's nothing the GDPR that says deletion must be self serve.

EA-3167 3y ago

They absolutely do allow that, they just ask that you send them a request which they regularly respond to. That doesn't violate GDPR or CA's law, and why should it? One of the major elements of this site is that it's a building knowledge-base, at least in theory, and people randomly gouging parts of it out on a whim is unhelpful. By adding a (legally acceptable) step in between the urge to delete and the action, they toe the line while discouraging tantrums.