How To Delete Your Facebook Account: Instructions On Quitting Facebook

In response to Facebook's latest changes and more permissive (and complex) privacy policy, users are speaking out.

Some are planning a Facebook Protest, while others are organizing a mass exodus from the site, deeming May 31 "Quit Facebook Day."

Search queries like "How do I delete my Facebook account?" and "how to delete Facebook account" have soared in popularity.

If you're wondering how to delete your Facebook account, here's a quick guide.

There is an unofficial Facebook group called "How to permanently delete your Facebook account" with step-by-step instructions. In short, you should go to http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account, click submit, then wait two weeks for your account to be deactivated. Logging in to Facebook before the two weeks are up will void the deletion request.

There's also the less drastic option of simply deactiving your Facebook account, which puts it on a sort of "temporary hiatus."

The Telegraph walks users through the steps:

Deactivating an account is fairly simple: when you're logged in to Facebook, click on the Account tab on the top right-hand side of the page. From the drop-down list, select "Account Settings". The final option on the page is "Deactivate" - click on the link to be taken through to the deactivation page. Facebook tries to tempt you in to reconsidering, telling you that your friends "will no longer be able to keep in touch with you"; it also asks you to say why you are deactivating your account. At the foot of the page is box that allows you to opt out of receiving future emails from Facebook - if you do not tick this box, then you will continue to receive email notifications every time a former Facebook friend tags you in a photo, invites you to an event, or asks you to join a group. Ticking the box means you will no longer receive these messages.

Alternately, if you want to stay on Facebook but are concerned about what information you're sharing, check out our two minute, must-see guide on how to protect your privacy on Facebook.

Comments

[natchez]

06:10 PM on 05/16/2010

...friends call or email..deleted account that I never used today

[GringoLingo]

11:46 PM on 05/15/2010

If you're like me, Facebook has not only been a quick way to read about friends, but it has been an impromptu personal diary.

This link tells you how to Backup Facebook before you permanently delete it:

http://sites.google.com/site/howtocancelfacebook/

[killyourfacebookprofile]

03:25 PM on 05/15/2010

If the privacy stuff is a deal-breaker and you're going to delete your facebook account, please consider joining the "Facebook Profile-Suicide Pact: Protest for Privacy" group instead.

Members of this group agree to all delete their profile at the same time (Jan. 1st 2011), as an organized and hopefully highly visible protest against facebook's abuse of our trust. The group is only just started, and we need members!

Please consider joining, and lending your support. If we get over a million members, we'll actually start to have a voice that Zuckerberg and co might want to listen to!

[EdBallsUp]

01:59 PM on 05/15/2010

I've migrated all my content over to www.folkdirect.com - I only share with those I choose and I can hide/show whatever I want. It's built on strong privacy controls (with no silly applications that steal your info!)