Facebook Continues Blocking Apps That Help You Delete Your Facebook Account

from the get-a-sense-of-humor dept

Tue, Jan 5th 2010 3:49pm — Mike Masnick

Facebook is apparently really against against the idea of virtual euthanasia. Last week, we wrote about how it was blocking Seppukoo, a silly app that would let you kill your Facebook account. This week after people started talking about a similar service called the Web 2.0 Suicide Machine (which is similar, if a bit more inclusive -- it will delete all your web 2.0 profiles -- and entertaining -- you get to watch the deletions in realtime), Facebook again rushed forward to block access. Apparently Facebook has no sense of humor at all when it comes to you actually leaving its service.

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Filed Under: accounts, social networks
Companies: facebook

21 Comments

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Quick Brown Fox, 5 Jan 2010 @ 3:57pm

Roach Motel
Facebook has become the new Roach Motel. You can check in, but you can't check out.
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provacy commisioner of canada, 5 Jan 2010 @ 4:25pm

seeing the recent deal with canada
i wonder how the privacy commissioner of Canada would think of these actions to block removal of a persons information considering that ANYONE in Canada needs to ask permission per each time its accessed.

THUS the breach of law as is apparent would mean we or the govt should tell isps to BLOCK facebook as its actions are illegal and contrary to the criminal code of Canada as a breach of the privacy law of Canada.

think im joking go try and use that health card in a bank , its private info and the bank was told its a 50000 dollar fine if they accept it.

ALSO more interesting it was Michael Geists choice to start that lil facebook revolution at and now they have everyone's name ip and data.

HOPE U USED non standard proxies.
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 5 Jan 2010 @ 4:30pm

Re: Roach Motel
Welcome to the Website California.
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Jan 2010 @ 4:45pm

So...is Facebook going to block itself from itself?

https://ssl.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account
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some old guy, 5 Jan 2010 @ 5:19pm

Re: Re: Roach Motel
Such a lovely place.
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Jan 2010 @ 5:24pm

Such a lovely face
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Phillip Vector (profile), 5 Jan 2010 @ 5:26pm

Re:
Renting a wall at the website California...
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Cyryl, 5 Jan 2010 @ 5:55pm

Re: seeing the recent deal with canada
You think too hard in the wrong direction.

If I owned a huge network like that one, I'd do the same thing.

"Why?" you ask? SIMPLE.

Do YOU want to hear everyone fucking whine to you about how some asshole hacked your FB and deleted it?

Aside from that... If you want to kill your FB account...

http://www.facebook.com/deactivate.php

This article is not interesting in the least bit. Yet another over-hyped headline by the now disrespected Techdirt.

I can't believe I used to read this site so regularly...until I figured out that it's one large, biased blog for idiots. My mistake for checking in out of curiosity.
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Jan 2010 @ 6:02pm

Re: Re: seeing the recent deal with canada
deactivate != kill

deactivate = sleep
delete = kill
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Jan 2010 @ 6:02pm

Re: Re: seeing the recent deal with canada
deactivate != kill

deactivate = sleep
delete = kill
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Jan 2010 @ 6:05pm

Re: Re: seeing the recent deal with canada
Any hacker can already delete your Facebook account once they have access without help from any other site but...Facebook.

Try harder.
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The Anti-Mike (profile), 5 Jan 2010 @ 6:08pm

Suicide is contageous
I just think facebook doesn't want to be part of any anti-web2.0 movement. They are being very careful not to give these guys much of a chance. Facebook, like any other social website, is very dependant on repeat users and seemingly active profiles. Suicide like this leaves it clear that you are "gone", which not only means you are gone, but gives friends and such perhaps the push to do the same.

In real life, one suicide often leads to others. I suspect facebook sees the same potential.
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ScaredOfTheMan, 5 Jan 2010 @ 6:25pm

I manually cleaned out my account
I deleted, ever post, ever photo, every status update, from Facebook when they went all public with my info. I also changed my name. F them, my data is mine, I am exposed to their ads as payment for me using their service. That's enough,
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Jan 2010 @ 7:18pm

Re: Re: seeing the recent deal with canada
"I can't believe I used to read this site so regularly...until I figured out that it's one large, biased blog for idiots."

Yet, you just can't stay away, can you?

"My mistake for checking in out of curiosity."

Hopefully you'll stay away for good. Freaking troll.
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Rooker, 5 Jan 2010 @ 8:55pm

Re: Re: Roach Motel
Well played. You and Quick Brown Fox both win two free internets.
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 5 Jan 2010 @ 10:05pm

Re: Suicide is contageous
i was pretty much in agreement with you (i know, shocking to me as well) right up till you just HAD to go puttin some stoopid into your post with that last little polished turd you ended with.

however, i do agree that there is no incentive at all for sites like facebook or myspace or the nearly bazillions of other such sites to allow third party removal of a user. sites like that are designed to keep you using the site and these kind of things while humorous (at least i think they are) do the exact opposite.
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cc, 6 Jan 2010 @ 3:51am

When you have 25% of the world's population (possibly a good chunk of everyone with easy access to the internet), you stop worrying about gaining users and you start worrying about keeping them.

If dropping off facebook becomes the new trend, their stupid company goes down the drain. Simple as that.
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Tyanna, 15 Jan 2010 @ 7:46am

The only reason I can think of that would make Facebook say stop is if it's creating a influx of traffic.

Think about it; a kid sees a site like this...kills their Facebook account and has a good laugh. Then goes and makes a new one. The kids friends see it and try it too...then recreate their accounts.

If the delete account code is bad, it might actually be something of a worry to Facebook.

I hope this is the issue, though I have a feeling they are just being asshats about the whole thing.
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John Monkerson, 10 May 2010 @ 2:51pm

Delete your facebook account
Delete Facebook simplifies the deletion process

http://deletefacebook.com

And along the way injects a bit of irony. You can 'like' the website on facebook, funny stuff!
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Helen Estabrook, 20 Jun 2010 @ 8:56am

I have two facebook accounts and need to delete one.
Please help!! I need instructions to help me delete one of my two facebook accounts.
I have:
Helen A. Estabrook, which I want to delete.
and
Helen Estabrook, which I want to keep.
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rose perez, 15 May 2011 @ 2:20pm

Re: I have two facebook accounts and need to delete one.
i have two facebook i need to deleted one rose perez is the one is to deleted
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