Facebook: you can check in, but you can't check out.

So, I'm not very familiar with facebook. However, they are the second largest social network in the world, and backed by the CIA (Cental Intelligence Agency in the US, which has been definitively linked to both good bad things). Something I found out...

today made me consider that, perhaps, facebook isn't out to do no evil as Google says on it's mission statement. Why?

You *can't* delete your facebook account. You can deactivate it, but then if you go on reactivate, everything is there. So you can check in, but you can't check out. To me, that sounds creepy and, well, not worthy of my trust. So I don't have a facebook account. On FunAdvice, you can delete your account, and yes, it's gone. We can't recover the data.

So, if you use facebook, is this news? And does it bother you?

I don't have a facebook, but it does bother me. I've always wondered why some sites don't allow you to delete your account.. maybe they want larger numbers in the members area so the site is ranked higher? who knows. but I agree, it is creepy, and that's why I'll never make one.

Everyone was like luz FaCeBoOk and I was like What the heck is so good about FaceBook? so I made one to see what the point was.

I have yet to discover what the point is.

I guess if you don't have a phone or an email address or something it might be worth something, but probably 98% of people who use FaceBook have a cell phone, and if they've got a computer to use for FaceBook I know darn well they have an email address, so I really don't know what the point is.

That being said, I was contemplating deleting my account. But now you inform me I cannot. Though I guess 'deactivation' would serve the same purposes to me, but at the same time, I guess the CIA could meanwhile look up what movies I like. Which I don't find creepy at all...

ah... I wish I knew this before creating one.

I think we should be allowed to control our name and info online. If we decide to make a facebook- using our own name and info- we should also be allowed to delete it for good-its not theirs to keep.

It kind of makes me feel violated- lol

I have facebook as do several of my family members. that stuff really doesn't bother me.

I have a facebook. I didn't know that you couldn't delete your account. In a way it does bother me.

I discovered the no delete policy a while ago, I removed most of my personal information ( I guess you have that option) but who knows what they keep...

facebook is kina boring compare to myspace and this website...and that you cant delet your accoutn is kinda weird

Fascinating:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/technology/11facebook.html

Seems that I posted this first, and then on the same day, the New York Times did it

You know, I need to wag the dog more often.

I, myself am one of the many addicts of facebook...
Please dont hit me anyone
This is news to me, I had no idea that you couldn't delete your account (because obviously I havn't tried). That's slightly wierd to know that my details will be with them...forever?
Hmmm.

THIS IS HOW TO ACHIEVE PERMANENT DELETION - - - -

Go to this form:

Tell them to delete your account in BOTH the subject and the message fields!

This method is official and confirmed by ex-facebook users to be satisfactory!

Wait until you get an email confirming deletion, then try to sign into facebook again and you should find that you can no longer reactivate your name and it is truly deleted.

This worked for me...Good luck.