Facebook was once the monarch of social media, And still is very widespread in use across the globe, but with growing concerns for privacy and a wish for a less complicated cyber life, deleting a Facebook account is gaining popularity. Be it the concern for more privacy, lowering your interaction with screens or just letting the platform go, this article seeks to help you with the steps to erase a Facebook account for good.
Table of Contents
Why Delete Your Facebook Account?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s explore why someone might want to delete their Facebook account in the first place.
Privacy Concerns
Facebook has been surrounded by privacy scandals for a long time. Platforms have been exposed or there was unsolicited sharing of data along with the terrorizing information on individuals. Few members of the Facebook community now believe that the price they pay for staying on the site in terms of providing their personal particulars is not worth it.
Wasting time on social media turns out depression or mental disorder
Research in the area has revealed that spending time on social media platforms is a contributing factor to increased levels of anxiety, and depression as well as reduced social self- efficacy. Facebook may be of much use, the only condition is that the user is ready to keep scrolling, checking notifications forever, and running after endless updates. For some people, erasable of Facebook account assists promote one’s mental wellness by saving all that attention and time.
Wanting to decrease or erase ones online identity
Because people are becoming more sensitive to their persona and the information available about them, deleting accounts in different sites has become part of a larger free from Virtual reality. Empowering oneself by eliminating one’s online presence enables one to take full control over one’s online persona.
Deactivate vs. Delete: What’s the Difference?
There are two ways in which someone can quit Facebook, either by deleting their account permanently or deactivating their account. The difference in these two approaches is in the following way.
- Deactivating Your Account.
Reversible: Deactivating an account allows a person to come out of the platform only temporarily, one can always choose to log back into their account whenever they feel like.
No Activity On Profile: When a person deactivates their Facebook account, their activity on the platform is paused including their ability to be searched or interacted with through their content, however, their data granted towards the platform remains intact.
- Deleting Your Account.
Irreversible: Once a person deletes their account, it can never be reversed and a person will lose everything they shared on the Facebook platform which includes their photographs, messages, and any other relevant content.
Never Returned: If you are absolutely not planning to return to Facebook, deleting your account would be recommended.
In this article, we are going to focus on how to completely delete your Facebook account.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Delete Your Facebook Account
3.1 Handle Backup of your Facebook Account Data
There is a very good backup option Facebook offers where users can backup all the posts, messages, and photos before deleting their Facebook account. You should remember about making a backup before removing your Facebook account, So, to do this
Open Settings & Privacy
Click on the Settings button
Select Download Your Information from the Resulting Page under “Your Facebook Information” tab
Add the specific information that needs to be archived along with the desired date range.
Once you back up your files click on Create the File button and you will receive a notification once the backup has been completed.
3.2 Switch to Your Facebook Account
This is the step where things go to the next level, To delete the account you have to Switch on to your Facebook account and for that you can visit www.facebook.com and provide your credentials.
3.3 Tweak Your Configuration
Once you have successfully logged in to your account33:
Click on the drop-down arrow on the upper right of your Facebook page.
Then select Settings & Privacy, afterward click on Settings.
3.4 Deletion of the Account Request
Now that you are located in the settings part:
Go to Your Facebook Information that can be found in the left sidebar interface.
Choose Cessation and Deletion.
Select the Delete Account option which further gives a prompt for continuing to an account deletion page.
Once on that page, Facebook prompts whether you would want to deactivate your account or if you would want to download your information instead, make your selection and repeat deleting the account.
Once completed you would require submitting a password and agreeing to the deletion.
3.5 Gwait For 30 Days
Once you receive the notification through email that the deletion process has been confirmed by you, Facebook allows you a temporal option of 30 days to make changes.
What Happens When You Delete Your Facebook Account?
When your Facebook account is deleted, a multitude of actions take place including:
Account Elimination: Deletion of your profile, pictures, posts and other contents permanently.
Loss Access to Facebook Services: Facebook’s offerings like Messenger and any games or applications you had linked to your account are useless now since you cannot access them anymore.
Effects on Business Pages: Pages used for business purposes together with the fan page(s) if you possessed any will also be erased unless the pages are handed over to a different administrator.
The first thing to note is that Facebook still holds certain account information on legal and financial requirements but it is not attached in any way to your personal profile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I recover my Facebook account after deletion?
The answer is no; if you permanently deleted your Facebook Account then you will lose everything associated with it. You have been warned! Make sure your decision is well thought out before pressing the delete button.
2. How long does it take for Facebook to delete my account?
Once you put in the request for deletion of your account It may take up to 30 days for Facebook to proceed with the request. It is important to note that your account is still dormant and can be reactivated if you log back in.
3 Once I send my request to delete my Facebook account, will it get deleted instantly?
No, however deactivating your account or terminating the deletion process is possible throughout the 30 days following your deletion request. By the end of this time frame, the account and all its history will be erased.
4. Can I delete my account from the mobile app?
Yes! Deleting your Facebook is easy through the mobile application, all you have to do is go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Your Facebook Information > Deactivation and Deletion!
