How can I delete my account/deregister?

[llayercake]

How can I delete my account/deregister?

[Jdsk]

I suggest sending a Private Message to admin.

Jonathan

[llayercake]

Thanks, I had sent one to someone that's listed as admin. I'll wait another couple of days and pm another. I'm obviously on the right track.

[admin]

The simplest thing to do is just stop using your account.

I can also disable your account, so you can't use it any more, if that helps.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
But I am assuming that the posts by the OP will still remain forever?

[admin]

Yes, unless there's a good reason to delete them.

Even if we did delete them, the posts would probably still be available in search engine and internet archives.

If you do regret posting something, beware of the Streisand Effect [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect]: it's usually better to keep quiet and let the offending material quietly become forgotten than to try to have it removed.

[simonineaston]

I skimmed through layercake's posts yesterday, hoping to find hyper-incendiary rants on the subject of this bicycle component or that political ideology, but apart from a slight left-leaning stance, I couldn't find anything too difficut to digest or even, for lc to wish gone for ever !!
Tata - and All The Best

[llayercake]

Ha ha! My leftie bias has left an unfortunate and visible stain!
Thanks for the replies.
The matter is now in hand with an admin.
I'm just trying to minimise my presence online and the amount of hideously convoluted passwords that I need to recall.
This site has been very helpful when needed but I don't visit enough nowadays to warrant membership.
Best wishes to all,
Llayercake

[admin]

For remembering passwords (I have a different random password for every website) I strongly recommend BitWarden.

https://bitwarden.com

Free, open-source, and works on many types of computer, mobile device, and web browser. Get it to remember your passwords, and even type them in for you. It synchronises your passwords automatically between browsers and devices, too.

[Mick F]

AppleMac.
They remember them for you if you want, and auto-fill too, but you need to be logged in.

[admin]

Yes, most browsers will remember passwords for you. But they don't talk to each other.

My BitWarden passwords are available on my mobile phone (Android), my office PC (Linux), my Laptop (Windows 10) and every different browser I use. Change or add a password on any of them, and the other devices get updated too

[axel_knutt]

Yes, unless there's a good reason to delete them.

The Data Protection Act is a good enough reason, people now have a right to have their social media data deleted if they want.

Not that it makes any difference, forum operators know that most people can't afford legal action if they ignore the law. I've recently had personal remarks from strangers in the street who have obviously identified me by piecing together a jigsaw from scores of forum posts in order to establish my identity, but when I tried to get the relevant account deleted they just refused. On another account I had to go through and delete about 2000 posts one at a time by hand. Another forum just ignored my request.

[admin]

The Data Protection Act is a good enough reason, people now have a right to have their social media data deleted if they want.

No, I'm afraid the Data Protection Act doesn't give anyone that right.

The "right to be forgotten" is limited to deletion of personal data, not public comments made in Forums. And it only applies in extreme circumstances.

More information: https://gdpr.eu/right-to-be-forgotten/

And UK-specific: https://www.itpro.co.uk/general-data-pr ... -forgotten

[Syd]

Then it’s a simple task to change the contributor of all the user posts to ‘unregistered’ or similar and deactivate the account?

[admin]

I can sometimes be that simple, yes. Other times the person's comments will have been quoted, along with their username.

Generally-speaking it's better to leave history alone, rather than trying to edit it. See the Streisand Effect.