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Account removal

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  • 21-05-2011 1:56am
    #1
    CiaranC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    Is it possible to have my account and all my posts deleted?

    Cheers,

    CiaranC


Comments

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    #2
    Wolfe Tone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,670 ✭✭✭✭Wolfe Tone


    No its not.


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    #3
    Shield
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 9,812 CMod ✭✭✭✭Shield


    Hi CiaranC,

    As Wolfe Tone advises, it is not possible to delete thousands of posts from the site without sending the database into total meltdown.

    Also, we do not delete accounts, but you can request to have your account closed. Please see Section 6 of our Terms of Use for information on how to have your boards.ie account closed.

    Hope this helps!


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    #4
    CiaranC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭CiaranC


    psni wrote: »
    Hi CiaranC,

    As Wolfe Tone advises, it is not possible to delete thousands of posts from the site without sending the database into total meltdown.
    Hi psni, thanks for the response. It seems strange that mass deletes would destroy the boards database. Doesn't it already handle thousands of deletes a day? What would happen in the case of a successful spam attack?
    Also, we do not delete accounts, but you can request to have your account closed. Please see Section 6 of our Terms of Use for information on how to have your boards.ie account closed.
    Im not looking to close my account, Im looking to have my account deleted. Facebook and most other social media sites offer this service, why not boards?

    P.S. Those 'Terms Of Use' were implemented on March 1, 2010, just over ten years after I created my account.


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    #5
    Shield
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 9,812 CMod ✭✭✭✭Shield


    Hi CiaranC,

    I didn't actually say it would "destroy" the database. You have posted thousands of posts over the course of 10 years. Who is to know how many of those posts have been quoted, and how many discussions would be thrown out of context if thousands of posts were to vanish in one go. I could be wrong, but I do believe that there technical issues surrounding the sudden deletion of thousands of historic posts.

    On the second question, the official reason on why we do not delete user accounts is explained in Section 7 of the site's Terms of Use.

    I hope this helps.


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    #6
    CiaranC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭CiaranC


    Sorry psni, I thought you were implying that there was a technical reason it couldnt be done.

    Ill have a read through that section 7 in the morning, though I cant for the life of me remember seeing it before.

    Thanks again.


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    #7
    jay-me
    Registered Users Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭jay-me


    Here is the relevant part.

    In order to ensure that threads and conversations are not disrupted, we do not generally remove Material which is uploaded to us. Consequently, you agree that your Material displayed on Boards.ie may continue to appear on Boards.ie, even after you have terminated your user privileges or have had your user privileges terminated by Boards.ie.


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    #8
    Darragh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭Darragh


    Just to confirm - we don't delete Boards.ie accounts.

    We have discussed this with the Data Protection Commissioner and really it only matters for personal details on your account.

    On request to hello@boards.ie, we will mark your account as 'Closed account' and delete any details you have entered into your profile.

    We will scramble your password, turn off your ability to receive private messages and visitor messages, remove your ability to receive notifications of friend requests and to subscribe to threads and also turn off any notifications you receive from threads you may have subscribed to.

    Your email address and IP address will be associated with your record for a time, as per the Data Protection Act, but will also be removed from our records after 40 days.

    Your posts or threads will not be deleted, pretty much to keep conversations intact and not disrupt the flow of discussion.

    Once this is done it is permanent and irreversible.

    Darragh


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    #9
    CiaranC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭CiaranC


    Thanks guys. Another question (or two) - when did I agree to these T&Cs?

    Is it possible to have all my posts before they came into effect deleted?


  • Options
    #10
    Wolfe Tone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,670 ✭✭✭✭Wolfe Tone


    I wonder is there some legal avenue you could go down to try and have them deleted.

    I imagine that by not saying anything about the change in terms that implies you accepted them. However I imagine age would play a role in that too... Interesting stuff. Maybe you could ask some legal heads? (maybe not on boards as there would be a bit of a conflict for mods etc)


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    #11
    Hal Emmerich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭Hal Emmerich


    If there's something in particular affecting a User in real life, if requested would that be deleted?


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    #12
    Darragh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭Darragh


    Hal Emmerich wrote: »
    If there's something in particular affecting a User in real life, if requested would that be deleted?

    Yes, probably. We are very reasonable.


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    #13
    Darragh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭Darragh


    CiaranC wrote: »
    Thanks guys. Another question (or two) - when did I agree to these T&Cs?

    Is it possible to have all my posts before they came into effect deleted?

    Heya, firstly - why do you want your posts deleted? If there's a valid reason we might be able to help, especially if there are specific posts.

    Secondly, on 22-02-2010 I posted this - now am on a mobile so don't have full access...
    Darragh wrote: »
    Hi there,

    Based on feedback we received about the Boards.ie Terms Of Use, in effect since December 23, 2009, we have published a revision to them for you.

    Please take time to read this thread and the revised Terms of Use. They are due to come into force in 7 days - March 1, 2010.

    Thank you.

    Darragh

    So either March 2010 or December 2009, following a very lengthy public consultation process. All threads should be available in Feedback.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055771918 from 16 December 2009.


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    #14
    Darragh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭Darragh


    Wolfe Tone wrote: »
    I wonder is there some legal avenue you could go down to try and have them deleted.

    I imagine that by not saying anything about the change in terms that implies you accepted them. However I imagine age would play a role in that too... Interesting stuff. Maybe you could ask some legal heads? (maybe not on boards as there would be a bit of a conflict for mods etc)

    Please do let us know both what the legal heads say and - more importantly - how much they'd charge you for consultation on your use of our website.

    As you can imagine, we've checked this out. A lot.


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    #15
    CiaranC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭CiaranC


    We have discussed this with the Data Protection Commissioner and really it only matters for personal details on your account.
    Posts on, say, the LGBT or non-drinkers forum are personal details about you by their very nature. You should have the option to remove them.
    Darragh wrote: »
    Heya, firstly - why do you want your posts deleted? If there's a valid reason we might be able to help, especially if there are specific posts.
    For the reasons above and others, Im no longer comfortable with having posts which may possibly reveal details of a personal nature about me on this site.

    Even facebook offer the option to remove your account.
    Secondly, on 22-02-2010 I posted this - now am on a mobile so don't have full access...

    So either March 2010 or December 2009, following a very lengthy public consultation process. All threads should be available in Feedback.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055771918 from 16 December 2009.
    I wasnt privvy to that consultation process because my account is banned from feedback unfortunately, and has been for many years.


This discussion has been closed.
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