By now, everyone who has used social media for even a few years should know one thing about the business models of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. That is, if you are not paying for the product then you are the product. Logically speaking that could only mean that the platform in question is selling access to you to premium members, or they are selling information about you to someone else. We all know that customer data is a huge industry that advertisers and other entities are eager to get access to. Further, when it comes to privacy, the experts and our own research have shown that the biggest offender is Facebook.
Facebook has been fined billions by the FTC for violating the privacy of its customers. Mark Zuckerberg himself has been quoted as saying that Facebook’s customers are fools for putting their information on the site.
If you’ve ever gotten fed up with the toxic culture of Facebook and had privacy concerns, you’re not alone. Many people would like to delete their accounts to protect both their personal data and their sanity, but they don’t know how to remove personal information from the site.
How To Delete Your Facebook Account
With growing privacy concerns, you may want to know how to erase yourself from the internet. That can be a big job, but it’s possible. A good place to start is to delete your Facebook account. Here’s how.
Step 1: Get into Settings
Log into your Facebook account. In the upper right-hand corner of the screen, there should be a pull-down menu bar near your avatar. Click it to get the pull-down menu. Select the cog symbol with the words “Settings & Privacy” next to it.
Step 2: Find the “Delete My Account” Button
Finding the part of the site that lets you delete your account can be a bit tricky. Facebook doesn’t want you stumbling onto it accidentally. They even seem to move it on occasion. After you click “Settings & Privacy” from the pull-down menu, find the line at the bottom of the page called “Deactivation and Deletion.” Click it.
Step 3: Delete Your Account Permanently
After you click “Deactivation and Deletion.” you will be presented with two blocks of text. The first of these blocks says “Deactivate Account.” The second one says, “Permanently Deactivate Account.” Click “Permanently Deactivate Account.”
Step 4: Delete Messenger
You will then be asked if you would like to continue to use Messenger. If you continue to use it, your account won’t be deleted. It’s time to say goodbye to Messenger.
Step 5: Pull the Trigger
You will have to select “Delete Account” once again as if you didn’t mean it the first time.
Facebook may give you the option to have all your personal data saved and sent to you. If not, you will first need to go in and copy and paste everything you have put on the site into a private file. It can take a while, but it’s worth it. For more online privacy tips, check back with us again. RPI is on the cutting edge of personal Internet security.
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