# Delete account



## konzo98 (Oct 4, 2021)

how can i delete my acc?
thanks


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## boinzy (Oct 4, 2021)

dunno


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## chillbot (Oct 4, 2021)

boinzy said:


> dunno


i know but not telling


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## thebeesknees22 (Oct 4, 2021)

Don't leave us!!


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## Jdiggity1 (Oct 4, 2021)

Users can not delete their own account since it deletes all of their posts and threads with it.
This is bad because if you started a thread (or multiple threads) that other members contributed to, it is unfair if all of that content suddenly disappeared.


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## konzo98 (Oct 4, 2021)

i understand but all of my posts were selling posts, so no contribution really.


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## CT (Oct 4, 2021)

I do understand the reasoning behind not allowing total deletions, but it sure would be nice to be able to wipe the slate clean.


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## ka00 (Oct 4, 2021)

Maybe if someone wants to delete their account, all their posts get attributed to a fictional character? Or a random string of numbers in the user name? Or "Deleted Member"? That way none of the contributors are affected.


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## Jdiggity1 (Oct 4, 2021)

In many cases, when a member requests deletion of their account, we do in fact change their name, delete the avatar, and sometimes delete posts/threads where suitable etc.
It's a case-by-case basis, and usually involves some manual work. So the only process for now is to message a moderator/admin and they take it from there.


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## hoxclab (Oct 4, 2021)

konzo98 said:


> i understand but all of my posts were selling posts, so no contribution really.


You trying to burn your account after selling plugins? Seems shady bro.
Also the fact you were trying to sell Reaper is another red flag.


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## kevinh (Oct 4, 2021)

Mods not only deleted konzo98’s profile but also took down FB, Instagram, and whatsapp services this morning to do a deep cleanse hahaha


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## chillbot (Oct 4, 2021)

ka00 said:


> You could always ask for a permanent ban. Then you won’t be tempted to log in again.


*Permanent timeout.


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## vitocorleone123 (Oct 4, 2021)

konzo98 said:


> i understand but all of my posts were selling posts, so no contribution really.


You could change that and become a person that contributes rather than solely tries to profit. On this forum.


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## Bee_Abney (Oct 5, 2021)

EdwardwardWoodwardwardwoodward! Evening the odds and taking care of business!


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## RogiervG (Feb 5, 2022)

Jdiggity1 said:


> Users can not delete their own account since it deletes all of their posts and threads with it.
> This is bad because if you started a thread (or multiple threads) that other members contributed to, it is unfair if all of that content suddenly disappeared.


Well.. as unfair as it may be... there is something called the GDPR. And according to article 17, people can request the "Right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’)". Meaning everything of the user (like on a website e.g.) must be deleted by the company/organisation/operator of a service etc, so there is no trace to the account anymore (including the account itself). Only financial data remains, for logical reasons. For this forum, this would mean: the account, and everything the person has written/uploaded/reacted to. A total erasure, as if the user never existed on the forum.

Also a person can request a copy of all data that is connected to the account (and should be given), and this means everything stored at the service/organisation/operator affected. For this forum it means: all posts, all reactions, account data, uploads, metric data, whatever there is on record.

Just saying...


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## jononotbono (Feb 5, 2022)

ka00 said:


> You could always ask for a permanent ban. Then you won’t be tempted to log in again.


Why ask? Just do it.


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## Markrs (Feb 5, 2022)

RogiervG said:


> Well.. as unfair as it may be... there is something called the GDPR. And according to article 17, people can request the "Right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’)". Meaning everything of the user (like on a website e.g.) must be deleted by the company/organisation/operator of a service etc, so there is no trace to the account anymore (including the account itself). Only financial data remains, for logical reasons. For this forum, this would mean: the account, and everything the person has written/uploaded/reacted to. A total erasure, as if the user never existed on the forum.
> 
> Also a person can request a copy of all data that is connected to the account (and should be given), and this means everything stored at the service/organisation/operator affected. For this forum it means: all posts, all reactions, account data, uploads, metric data, whatever there is on record.
> 
> Just saying...


This is very true, but as this is US based would GDPR still apply? My instinct is it would. However I don't know any forums that work this way, so there could be exclusions in this law that apply to forums.


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## Hadrondrift (Feb 5, 2022)

The GDPR also applies when companies based outside the European Union process data of an EU citizen. Google, for example, must and does respond to such deletion requests from Germans.

In the case of forums, it should be sufficient to remove the personal reference from the member's contributions, i.e. delete the nickname or make it anonymous so that no inference is possible. (This according to German lawyers, but in the end - as so often in law - it depends on the individual case).


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## Arbee (Feb 5, 2022)

As I understand it, the size of your user database has some influence on advertisers and how much they're willing to pay. I've always assumed that's a major reason it's so hard to leave anywhere once you've signed up.


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## LatinXCombo (Feb 5, 2022)

Arbee said:


> As I understand it, the size of your user database has some influence on advertisers and how much they're willing to pay. I've always assumed that's a major reason it's so hard to leave anywhere once you've signed up.


If you're getting something for free on the Internet, it means you're the product being sold.


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## Mike Greene (Feb 5, 2022)

Regarding GDPR: We get GDPR deletion requests from time to time. Here's what we do: Nothing.

GDPR rules were put in place for very valid reasons, but this forum isn't one of them. This isn't Google and this isn't Facebook. We have no data to harvest or delete. We do have your email address, but we do nothing with it, other than sending an occasional poorly written newsletter. (With a reliable MailChimp unsubscribe button.)

The GDPR has actual important work to do, so they don't care a whit about VI-Control. We're not hurting anyone, we're not violating anyone's privacy, we're not sending spam, and we're not harvesting data. Plus we're an LLC based in the U.S., so they're not going to get their lawyers involved just because you got an unwanted newsletter and were too lazy to click the unsubscribe button. As my father in law would tell me, _"Don't flatter yourself."_

And yes, I understand they could block us from EU web servers. That's just silly. Don't think it's silly? Then tell me how many sites that's actually happened to and what were the circumstances. Is there even the tiniest resemblance to VI-Control?

Regarding posts, forums are under no obligation to remove them, because it takes away context of the discussions. (This isn't just my theory, this is actual EU legal advice. Before I tell someone _"Blow me,"_ I wanted to make sure it's safe for me to say that.)


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## Mike Greene (Feb 5, 2022)

Arbee said:


> As I understand it, the size of your user database has some influence on advertisers and how much they're willing to pay. I've always assumed that's a major reason it's so hard to leave anywhere once you've signed up.


In theory, that might make sense, but a dozen or two members asking for their accounts to be deleted wouldn't make a dent in the overall membership numbers. (~30k.) Plus I've never had an advertiser ask how big the user base is. I can't even remember the last time anyone asked how many page views we get per day (~60k), which would be a more relevant stat for advertisers.

It's not hard to be removed. Just click the Contact Us button to send us an email. We do have a cooling off period, though, because about half the people who ask to leave will eventually come back later and want to regain account access, which is a PIA. And some people are just assholes, so it's fun to ignore them.


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## kgdrum (Feb 5, 2022)

Mike Greene said:


> Before I tell someone _"Blow me,"_ I wanted to make sure it's safe for me to say that.)




@Mike Greene 

Of course you can say that and the good news you might actually get some volunteers! 😘


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## Double Helix (Feb 5, 2022)

Reading this thread from four months ago, I'd imagine that if the 'konzo88 had simply stopped posting and disappeared, his thread(s) would have sunk far, f-a-r down the queue, thereby making deleting his acct unnecessary--less for the mods to have to do. . .
(" 'konzo88, forgotten but not actually gone")


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## Hadrondrift (Feb 6, 2022)

Mike Greene said:


> We're not hurting anyone, we're not violating anyone's privacy, we're not sending spam, and we're not harvesting data.


If you divide the forum world into the good and the bad, VI-C certainly stands out even from the group of good. At least that is my perception.

This in mind, allow me to be that guy temporarily riding on principles: The GDPR of course applies completely regardless of what the other does with the data and also regardless of the fact that the other doesn't mean any harm with it, even if this would be common knowledge, as it is considered to be a personal right.

Moving away from principles: I think the GDPR sucks when applied to small businesses and I have doubts about the benefits. In many cases, it would be better to focus efforts to educate people on data avoidance, ask them to use their own mind before uploading content, teach media literacy early in school, etc. Especially with regard to digital communication that's more purposeful than creating hard-to-enforce rights that allow people to have their ill-considered crap removed retrospectively. And who is going to hire a lawyer to enforce his/her deletion right against some small forum in, say, Dubai?

Well, the EU also comes up with great world-changing things like the Cookie Directive... Very embarrassing to me as a European, I constantly feel the need to apologize for it. Sorry.


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## Gingerbread (Feb 6, 2022)

Double Helix said:


> Reading this thread from four months ago, I'd imagine that if the 'konzo88 had simply stopped posting and disappeared, his thread(s) would have sunk far, f-a-r down the queue, thereby making deleting his acct unnecessary--less for the mods to have to do. . .
> (" 'konzo88, forgotten but not actually gone")


Exactly. I've never understood the call to delete one's account. If you don't want anything to do with your account, just don't use it.


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