When you delete your Twitter account:
- You need to deactivate your account using your account settings.
- Your account should be deactivated within a few minutes, but some content may be viewable for a few days.
- Data is only retained for 30 days from date of deactivation after which it is deleted. Twitter retains its licence to use any content you post (see discussion on the licence in this post).
- If you want to use the same username or email address on another Twitter account later, you must remember to change both before deactivation.
- Your profile may still show up in public search engine results because Twitter does not control content indexed by search engines like Google or Bing.
- You remain liable and responsible for any consequences of content posted.
When you delete your Facebook profile:
- You need to log on and delete your account through your profile settings.
- All your information is permanently deleted from Facebook after about one month. If you only deactivate your account, Facebook will not delete any information and you may reactivate. While deactivated your friends will still see you in their lists.
- Some information may remain in backup copies and logs for up to 90 days.
- The licence you give to Facebook to use your content (e.g. photos and videos) ends unless your content has been shared with others who have not deleted it.
- Remember that some of the things you do on Facebook are not stored in your account (for example, posting to a group or sending someone a message). That information remains on Facebook after you delete your account.
- Content posted by you (or your friends) using the ‘public’ setting may remain on Facebook or accessible online in public search engine results after you delete your account (see our previous discussion on the public setting).
When you delete your LinkedIn profile:
- You need to terminate your agreement with LinkedIn by sending LinkedIn a notification using the online LinkedIn Help Centre or by using mail or courier to LinkedIn’s head office in California. Any notices provided in a different manner have no legal effect. The notice will be effective when LinkedIn processes it.
- You may be barred from any future use of LinkedIn.
- Most of the terms of your agreement with LinkedIn survive termination (i.e. remain enforceable) except for your rights to use the service, LinkedIn’s obligation to provide updated services, your access to other members’ content and third parties’ content and your consent regarding use of your information provided in terms of the LinkedIn Privacy Policy.
- Remember that the licence given to LinkedIn, discussed in our previous post, survives termination.
- Your information will generally be removed within 24 hours. LinkedIn usually deletes closed account information and de-personalises any logs or other backup information within 30 days of account closure.
- Information you have shared with others (for example, through content sharing or groups) or that others have copied may remain visible after you have closed your account or deleted information from your profile. Groups will refer to an ‘unknown user’ as the source of content associated with closed accounts.
- Your public profile may be displayed in search engine results until the search engine refreshes its cache.
Nerushka Deosaran (nerushka.deosaran@nortonrosefulbright.com / +27 11 685 8691) is a communications, media and entertainment associate within South Africa’s technology sector.
