"Then, if you'd like your account permanently deleted with no option for recovery, log into your account and fill out this form."
So it is possible to delete your account "completely". I did this once and I have never been more happier. I actually spent time being tense when Facebook rolled out a new privacy blunder and would rush to check all settings. Imagine the time wasted.
So to all those who are contemplating deleting the account but can't - do it. It's totally worth it.
What I was referring to is the fact that they likely never delete your info, they just set disabled=1, recoverable=0. I have heard anecdotal accounts[1] and read the writing on the wall[2], along with a hunch, that they would rather not delete data unless compelled to. Disk space is probably the cheapest its ever been, and there's a lot that you could learn from one's profile data, and they undoubtedly data-mine (and probably sell) it regardless of your disabled status. A 3rd party might be more interested in your data, say maybe if they determined that their demographic shows a strong inverse correlation with FB activity. Or maybe the 3rd party feels that they've already saturated the FB market, and is looking for leads in new markets. Facebook themselves would stand to gain from crunching numbers to try and determine why people leave, since that is lost revenues for them.
Although, I hear that the EU (or maybe just the UK?) has strict provisions around keeping data, and so those users who choose to delete their account really do have their data wiped. But not the rest of us.
"When you delete an account, it is permanently deleted from Facebook. It typically takes about one month to delete an account, but some information may remain in backup copies and logs for up to 90 days. You should only delete your account if you are sure you never want to reactivate it. You can delete your account here.
Certain information is needed to provide you with services, so we only delete this information after you delete your account. Some of the things you do on Facebook aren't stored in your account, like posting to a group or sending someone a message (where your friend may still have a message you sent, even after you delete your account). That information remains after you delete your account."[1]
"Maybe that was true in the past, but today when you delete your data it is gone. Trust me, I wrote it myself. The law enforcement guidelines that have been circulating recently corroborate this."[2]
I do wonder what sort of "things you do on Facebook" aren't stored on your account, though.
I deleted, really really deleted my Facebook account a couple of years ago and always suspected they kept it alive. I am in Europe, so Facebook falls under the EU privacy directives. Recently I requested them to hand over all information they have on file about me. This was done through official channels, also involving the Data Protection Commissioner. The response was they had nothing about me on file. It's possible that they even lied about this, but it seems unlikely at this point. So at least for Europeans it seems you can really have your information purged.
No option for recovery by the person whose account it was. Facebook is probably still holding the data. I hope I got out early enough that I may have actually gotten deleted at some point. I can't remember how many years ago it was, but it was after a few facebook creep cycles (things like this that hit the news) not super-early like some people.
Even though @PeterHunt apparently wrote this deletion feature, and stated on HN that your information really is deleted [1], I still don't believe him. Even if he is genuine, there is nothing to prove that since he wrote it, Facebook haven't changed that policy.
That is Facebook's core problem. They are the boy that cried wolf. We have seen them lie about privacy. We have seen how they have eroded our privacy, sometimes deliberately and sometimes by mistake. More importantly, we have seen them make these invasions into our privacy, and genuinely not seem to care.
The take-way from this, is that Facebook has become untrustable. As more people realize that, the more people will start deleting their accounts.
The challenge is (as a person that has deleted their Facebook account), is that you have to overcome the addiction and then the deal with the loss. You have to finally accept that the things you think you are missing out on really aren't that important. I personally found this quite hard to accept.
Giving up Facebook and giving up smoking are relatively similar, and I've done both.
After you choose to "permanently" delete your account, you'll get a message that says, "Your personal account was recently disabled by Facebook" two weeks later.
