8 ms·

Reddit makes it impossible to delete PII, refuses to do it itself violating GDPR [video]

201 points by c2h5oh 3y ago

c2h5oh 3y ago
Reddit refuses to delete your comments and posts if you request account deletion telling you to do it yourself. If you delete comments/posts they come back after a while. Since comments/posts may include personally identifiable information that's a GDPR/CCPA violation. Not just a dick move this time, but also illegal.
- em-bee 3y ago
  genuine question, because i am confused about this: how does this work on mailing lists or quotes in messages? it doesn't make sense to me that reddit has to remove messages when mailinglists don't because they can't. on some systems quotes are implemented as embedded links to the original message, so if the message disappears, the quote disappears. on hackernews quotes are copies that can't be removed. why should personal rights go so far as to remove your contributions to a public discussion? shouldn't that be limited to actually removing only the personally identifiable information that is embedded in the messages?
  - lesquivemeau 3y ago
    > how does this work on mailing lists or quotes in messages Technically, you would have to send a request to every party to delete all your PII.
  - treffer 3y ago
    PII != the whole discussion. A common theme is to set the user ro "deleted user". As long as it is not associated with you it's fine. Also you request deletion that the party and their contractors hold. So a mailing list may not show your name for past messages, but delivered mails are outside their perimeter/scope.
- beezlewax 3y ago
  You can edit or replace your text in comments and then delete them.This is what most of these shreddit type apps do
  - yomlica8 3y ago
    When deleted comments were restored recently some users were reporting shredded comments were restored to a previous versions, like they had simply restored a backup not rolling back to the pre-deleted state.
RamblingCTO 3y ago
I really do hope this shitty company along with its shitty management goes down the drain and makes place for something better. Your time is over reddit. Sad to see a big part of internet history going down, but the mismanagement just compounds.
- devwastaken 3y ago
  The FTC is fiction, and GDPR fines are a slap on the wrist with no jurisdiction on the parent company. We are here because this is how the system works, not because it is an error. Remember, blues don't regulate what they profit from. Same goes for the reds.
skilled 3y ago
I'm working on an article on this, but I'll just chime in here also... this Reddit protest has accomplished absolutely nothing. If you went on a holiday for two weeks during early June and came back - you wouldn't even know that there was a protest in the first place. Lemmy got some exposure, as did Mastodon. But that exposure is very small. We're living at a time where people's attention span and focus is entirely depleted and nobody wants to move away from that which is already comfortable and familiar. It's also a great example of how a whale can just swallow up the consequences because it is that big and that deeply rooted. Reddit is going full steam ahead towards its IPO with a huge (and it's clear now, a conscious) "fuck you" flag waving in the turbulence.
- c2h5oh 3y ago
  At the same time Reddit seems to be worried people will delete their accounts and content - it's now impossible to delete anything, as it simply comes back.
  - skilled 3y ago
    Yeah, this I don't understand. It seems pretty stupid to do it but I don't know what their lawyers are saying. As a form of nuisance I did request all my Reddit information[0] under GDPR and they're obligated to deliver on it. [0]: https://www.reddit.com/settings/data-request https://www.reddit.com/settings/data-request
- dvngnt_ 3y ago
  a platform with 50 million users doesn't die as a result of a 2 day blackout. MySpace and digg are still technically alive this is probably reddit's biggest PR nightmare and this will make a permanent stain on the company. Lemmy/kbin getting increased development is probably the best case scenario. with the reddit sync dev and other devs making 3rd party clients we're going to see Lemmy be a viable alternative in the coming weeks or months. I've already stopped using reddit on mobile. if they kill old reddit then my usage drops by over 90 percent
  - 3y ago
Madmallard 3y ago
Don’t really think we’ll see positive change without aggressive consequential action against bad actors.
- bezier-curve 3y ago
  I actually wrote to my representative and warned them that Reddit was playing fast and loose with social responsibility in 2022. I think more people should do this. People should write to their representatives and ask for social media regulation.
  - omniglottal 3y ago
    Fuel is in the tank. It must reach the engine. We have Reddit-brand fuel hose in this vehicle. How much is A New Regulator the thing now needed?
Havoc 3y ago
Wasn't initially planning it, but I'm going to start bulk deleting old comments. Takes about 2 minutes to arrange by the looks of it. [0] Wonder if they'll restore it. If they're following their own reddiquette then they won't, but can't say I have any faith in Reddit Inc left [0] https://shreddit.com/ https://shreddit.com/
- appleflaxen 3y ago
  I used Redact, which was excellent Consider reddit.com/r/redditseppuku
- beezlewax 3y ago
  Also this https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerDeleteSuite/ https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerDeleteSuite/
- wak90 3y ago
  They're undeleting deleted comments
  - jasonladuke0311 3y ago
    I don’t think that they are, though that was my initial thought. I am seeing comments come back in waves. I think it’s from subreddits re-opening.
    - tnecniv 3y ago
      I’ve seen some speculation they’ve been doing DB rollbacks for one reason or another which, intentionally or unintentionally, brings back your comments
    - bigjimmyk3 3y ago
      I mass deleted all of my comments a few weeks ago, and some of them reappeared about a week later.
  - Havoc 3y ago
    I'm aware. Will just see how it goes
appleflaxen 3y ago
Consider r/redditseppuku
- zorrolovsky 3y ago
  Thanks for that! I was looking for a place where I can send a message to Reddit leadership (and other mismanaged tech companies). Here we go... deleting a 6yr old account with a lot of karma accumulated.
sschueller 3y ago
Since reddit also appears to keep edits I would suggest a revolt where everone edits a comment of theirs every minute.
- gremlinsinc 3y ago
  go find the story of Streetlamp Le Moose, the author was writing it to test content length of comments. Edit all your comments to simply repost that story. Eh, the guy who wrote it supposedly killed himself, so it'd be a nice tribute too. Maybe leave your original comment so mods don't delete it...
  - sschueller 3y ago
    Maybe someone should write a little browser plugin that asks ChatGPT for a bit of text to rephrase an existing random comment made in the last x days every y minutes... Good luck to reddit trying to block this if tens of thousand of users are doing it.
- Bombinator 3y ago
  > Since reddit also appears to keep edits How do you know this?
  - Semaphor 3y ago
    People reported having their overwritten comments restored.
brushfoot 3y ago
This looks like part misinformation. It says Reddit is restoring deleted content, but the footage suggests the opposite. At one point, the user deletes all their content, and then, the next day, they refresh their profile, and content is there again. But it isn't the content we saw them delete (granted, they cut some of the deletions from the video). The content we saw them delete was posted to a variety of subs. The supposedly restored content, in contrast, is all from r/javascript. As some video comments point out, r/javascript was apparently private while the user were deleting their content. After the deletion, but before the user refreshed their profile, the sub went public again. So, the fact that the Reddit UI doesn't show users the content they posted to now-private subs seems to be the real culprit here. That said, it's still a problem. It would be better if users could control their own content regardless of subs' current public/private statuses.
ftxbro 3y ago
meanwhile on hacker news https://news.ycombinator.com/highlights https://news.ycombinator.com/highlights
- joecool1029 3y ago
  I've never seen this HN site feature before, looks like it was discussed a few months back: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35809302 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35809302 Why post it here? Any HN user can favorite comments they like, I don't see it controversial that mods have their own labeled favorites list.
bwj982 3y ago
I've been wanting to ask HN about Reddit & PII, I have never had an account and generally only use reddit.com when something in a public libreddit instance isn't working - for example a video. Reddit seems to target me with sponsored posts very specific to the industry that I work in, despite the fact that I do not have an account. - Exclusively use iOS private relay - Do not use apps, only use web versions of services - 1blocker iOS installed - I don't use any Google products or the search engine I raised a GDPR request with Reddit, and they stated that they have no way of knowing who I am when I use the site if I am not actively signed in. How is reddit able to target me specifically with sponsored posts that are specific to the industry and skillset I'm in? What PII do they hold and how can I request they remove it?
r0bbbo 3y ago
I experienced this myself. I overwrote then deleted all of my Reddit comments during the blackout using PowerDeleteSuite. A week later they were all back. Some people have speculated that because of the large outage Reddit had during the blackout they may have performed a data restore. I've since run PowerDeleteSuite again and most of my comments have remained deleted. A couple from several years ago have just popped back into existence in the last few days though.
- ElCapitanMarkla 3y ago
  Exact same case for me. Redeleted yesterday and it's still deleted for now
Nellyz 3y ago
[dead]
carlotte 3y ago
[dead]

201 points by c2h5oh 3y ago

Reddit refuses to delete your comments and posts if you request account deletion telling you to do it yourself. If you delete comments/posts they come back after a while. Since comments/posts may include personally identifiable information that's a GDPR/CCPA violation. Not just a dick move this time, but also illegal.

em-bee 3y ago
genuine question, because i am confused about this: how does this work on mailing lists or quotes in messages? it doesn't make sense to me that reddit has to remove messages when mailinglists don't because they can't. on some systems quotes are implemented as embedded links to the original message, so if the message disappears, the quote disappears. on hackernews quotes are copies that can't be removed. why should personal rights go so far as to remove your contributions to a public discussion? shouldn't that be limited to actually removing only the personally identifiable information that is embedded in the messages?
- lesquivemeau 3y ago
  > how does this work on mailing lists or quotes in messages Technically, you would have to send a request to every party to delete all your PII.
- treffer 3y ago
  PII != the whole discussion. A common theme is to set the user ro "deleted user". As long as it is not associated with you it's fine. Also you request deletion that the party and their contractors hold. So a mailing list may not show your name for past messages, but delivered mails are outside their perimeter/scope.
beezlewax 3y ago
You can edit or replace your text in comments and then delete them.This is what most of these shreddit type apps do
- yomlica8 3y ago
  When deleted comments were restored recently some users were reporting shredded comments were restored to a previous versions, like they had simply restored a backup not rolling back to the pre-deleted state.

RamblingCTO 3y ago

I really do hope this shitty company along with its shitty management goes down the drain and makes place for something better. Your time is over reddit. Sad to see a big part of internet history going down, but the mismanagement just compounds.

devwastaken 3y ago
The FTC is fiction, and GDPR fines are a slap on the wrist with no jurisdiction on the parent company. We are here because this is how the system works, not because it is an error. Remember, blues don't regulate what they profit from. Same goes for the reds.

skilled 3y ago

I'm working on an article on this, but I'll just chime in here also... this Reddit protest has accomplished absolutely nothing. If you went on a holiday for two weeks during early June and came back - you wouldn't even know that there was a protest in the first place. Lemmy got some exposure, as did Mastodon. But that exposure is very small. We're living at a time where people's attention span and focus is entirely depleted and nobody wants to move away from that which is already comfortable and familiar. It's also a great example of how a whale can just swallow up the consequences because it is that big and that deeply rooted. Reddit is going full steam ahead towards its IPO with a huge (and it's clear now, a conscious) "fuck you" flag waving in the turbulence.

c2h5oh 3y ago
At the same time Reddit seems to be worried people will delete their accounts and content - it's now impossible to delete anything, as it simply comes back.
- skilled 3y ago
  Yeah, this I don't understand. It seems pretty stupid to do it but I don't know what their lawyers are saying. As a form of nuisance I did request all my Reddit information[0] under GDPR and they're obligated to deliver on it. [0]: https://www.reddit.com/settings/data-request https://www.reddit.com/settings/data-request
dvngnt_ 3y ago
a platform with 50 million users doesn't die as a result of a 2 day blackout. MySpace and digg are still technically alive this is probably reddit's biggest PR nightmare and this will make a permanent stain on the company. Lemmy/kbin getting increased development is probably the best case scenario. with the reddit sync dev and other devs making 3rd party clients we're going to see Lemmy be a viable alternative in the coming weeks or months. I've already stopped using reddit on mobile. if they kill old reddit then my usage drops by over 90 percent
- 3y ago

Madmallard 3y ago

Don’t really think we’ll see positive change without aggressive consequential action against bad actors.

bezier-curve 3y ago
I actually wrote to my representative and warned them that Reddit was playing fast and loose with social responsibility in 2022. I think more people should do this. People should write to their representatives and ask for social media regulation.
- omniglottal 3y ago
  Fuel is in the tank. It must reach the engine. We have Reddit-brand fuel hose in this vehicle. How much is A New Regulator the thing now needed?

Havoc 3y ago

Wasn't initially planning it, but I'm going to start bulk deleting old comments. Takes about 2 minutes to arrange by the looks of it. [0] Wonder if they'll restore it. If they're following their own reddiquette then they won't, but can't say I have any faith in Reddit Inc left [0] https://shreddit.com/ https://shreddit.com/

appleflaxen 3y ago
I used Redact, which was excellent Consider reddit.com/r/redditseppuku
beezlewax 3y ago
Also this https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerDeleteSuite/ https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerDeleteSuite/
wak90 3y ago
They're undeleting deleted comments
- jasonladuke0311 3y ago
  I don’t think that they are, though that was my initial thought. I am seeing comments come back in waves. I think it’s from subreddits re-opening.
  - tnecniv 3y ago
    I’ve seen some speculation they’ve been doing DB rollbacks for one reason or another which, intentionally or unintentionally, brings back your comments
  - bigjimmyk3 3y ago
    I mass deleted all of my comments a few weeks ago, and some of them reappeared about a week later.
- Havoc 3y ago
  I'm aware. Will just see how it goes

appleflaxen 3y ago

Consider r/redditseppuku

zorrolovsky 3y ago
Thanks for that! I was looking for a place where I can send a message to Reddit leadership (and other mismanaged tech companies). Here we go... deleting a 6yr old account with a lot of karma accumulated.

sschueller 3y ago

Since reddit also appears to keep edits I would suggest a revolt where everone edits a comment of theirs every minute.

gremlinsinc 3y ago
go find the story of Streetlamp Le Moose, the author was writing it to test content length of comments. Edit all your comments to simply repost that story. Eh, the guy who wrote it supposedly killed himself, so it'd be a nice tribute too. Maybe leave your original comment so mods don't delete it...
- sschueller 3y ago
  Maybe someone should write a little browser plugin that asks ChatGPT for a bit of text to rephrase an existing random comment made in the last x days every y minutes... Good luck to reddit trying to block this if tens of thousand of users are doing it.
Bombinator 3y ago
> Since reddit also appears to keep edits How do you know this?
- Semaphor 3y ago
  People reported having their overwritten comments restored.

brushfoot 3y ago

This looks like part misinformation. It says Reddit is restoring deleted content, but the footage suggests the opposite. At one point, the user deletes all their content, and then, the next day, they refresh their profile, and content is there again. But it isn't the content we saw them delete (granted, they cut some of the deletions from the video). The content we saw them delete was posted to a variety of subs. The supposedly restored content, in contrast, is all from r/javascript. As some video comments point out, r/javascript was apparently private while the user were deleting their content. After the deletion, but before the user refreshed their profile, the sub went public again. So, the fact that the Reddit UI doesn't show users the content they posted to now-private subs seems to be the real culprit here. That said, it's still a problem. It would be better if users could control their own content regardless of subs' current public/private statuses.

ftxbro 3y ago

meanwhile on hacker news https://news.ycombinator.com/highlights https://news.ycombinator.com/highlights

joecool1029 3y ago
I've never seen this HN site feature before, looks like it was discussed a few months back: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35809302 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35809302 Why post it here? Any HN user can favorite comments they like, I don't see it controversial that mods have their own labeled favorites list.

bwj982 3y ago

I've been wanting to ask HN about Reddit & PII, I have never had an account and generally only use reddit.com when something in a public libreddit instance isn't working - for example a video. Reddit seems to target me with sponsored posts very specific to the industry that I work in, despite the fact that I do not have an account. - Exclusively use iOS private relay - Do not use apps, only use web versions of services - 1blocker iOS installed - I don't use any Google products or the search engine I raised a GDPR request with Reddit, and they stated that they have no way of knowing who I am when I use the site if I am not actively signed in. How is reddit able to target me specifically with sponsored posts that are specific to the industry and skillset I'm in? What PII do they hold and how can I request they remove it?

r0bbbo 3y ago

I experienced this myself. I overwrote then deleted all of my Reddit comments during the blackout using PowerDeleteSuite. A week later they were all back. Some people have speculated that because of the large outage Reddit had during the blackout they may have performed a data restore. I've since run PowerDeleteSuite again and most of my comments have remained deleted. A couple from several years ago have just popped back into existence in the last few days though.

ElCapitanMarkla 3y ago
Exact same case for me. Redeleted yesterday and it's still deleted for now

Nellyz 3y ago

[dead]

carlotte 3y ago

[dead]