Hi,

I want to delete my facebook account ( not deactivate it). However as I can't log in I can't actually try! I tried to change my email address recently and find now I can't log in. I just want to delete my account. Does anyone have a contact for facebook that is valid as the one I used, helpdesk@fb.com does not work and my email was not sent.

Thanks for any help.

You will need to get back into your account.

If you can't do the usual password word recovery, the last time I looked if you have any facebook friends who will vouch for you, that is the easiest way to get back in.

I'm not sure if its still the case but you couldn't delete your account, only deactivate it, its up to facebook if they decide to delete it at a later date.

There is no direct contact with facebook, I've tried and failed, the only things I have succeeded with getting any response to was getting take down notifications for abuse of my copyright materials, they were slow but responsive.

As a general question, why should anyone want to join these social media sites in the first place.

What is the attraction? I'm just curious.

Excoriator, I agree, hence I want to delete my account. I signed up out of curiosity, but then found I had no interest in it and never used it. Just going through my subscriptions and deleting those I don't use, facebook being one of them. I don't use it, don't miss it and wish I'd never joined! Being glued to such an account, whereby people show off their lovely lives is not for me. We all have problems, just some choose to either gloss over them or report minute by minute, what is going on, good or bad. There are good points, and I know people can keep in touch, but it is not for me. It is personal preference, that's all. Some find it is great for them.

I have seen links to deleting the accounts, but not sure if they work as I can't log in. Don't think I can be bothered in going through friends to get back on to delete it. Maybe if I change email address, the one I signed up with, then I won't be bothered by it as I won't receive any notifications.

Thanks for your replies.

I wasn't being derogatory about being a member, I just wanted to know what the attraction was.

There are people who are fanatical about it, and - I understand - display pictures of meals they are about to consume and the like. Holiday snaps are boring enough. Who wants to know the details of one's life, and why should anyone want to display them to the world anyway?

Both seem baffling to me.

Up to a point you are pretty right.We use FB as a tool for seeing what the grandchildren are up to, photos etc. Our lads are dispersed round UK and Canada so we don't see them on a daily/ weekly basis. You can,of course restrict pictures to only those people you want to see them and not the whole world. Prospective employers apparently automatically scan social media sites to see what stuff applicants post.

I know you weren't being derogatory Excoriator. It is good to hear other's opinions! To be able to connect with others is a good thing, just nowadays we have digital experiences, rather than face to face, and whilst they can't replace actual human contact, as Salmon says, it helps to keep families in touch when miles apart.

Wasn't it John Lennon who said that life happens when you are busy making other plans. Having to constantly update your info on a social media site seems a waste of precious time when you could be doing something else. I'm not knocking it, just it's not for me.

I use facebook for keeping up with friends & family also on a couple of Akita sites which is useful.I don't post every detail of my life on there unlike some got to be drama queens,any little upset to get attention.I'll post if one of my kids has done something well but not everything goes on there.

I keep in touch with old work mates through a page on facebook, unfortunately the numbers are reducing

I use twitter for community purposes and to keep up with local news, events, council things and suchlike.

We also use facebook, twitter and instagram for advertising, like it or not (and I don't like it) there are loads of potential customers on it and its cheap advertising, not particularly successful but if costs nothing then its better than nothing. We have just sub-contracted some of the social-media management on a barter basis to save having to face it ourselves.

I use three forums including this one, the other two being more specialised interests.

To me facebook, twitter, instagram etc are just a very poor versions of a forum with too many constraints to make them viable for general use. They are all about the here and now then forgotten tomorrow. Some good stuff pops up (eg local History) and it becomes frustrating that as it disappears down the list with time and is harder to find.

I don't have a Facebook account, I just stand in public places and shout out all my private information.
I've got two followers now but I think they might be the Police.

With mobiles and especially hands-free headsets it is surprising how many people do exactly that.

If you want to know some credit card details, don't rummage through bins or hack computers, just go on a train and listen.

Managed to avoid FB that is until my angling club decided to have a private page so I had to bite the bullet. Have found it useful in contacting some old school chums and even a former girlfriend (but don't tell the missus). What I don't understand is why some people want to post their daily life on it...is it to give them some sort of celebrity feeling? sadly I log in every day to "watch".
Its a bit scary when you get a message saying you might know such and such a person. Isnt it owned by the CIA or FBI

Habdab, that made me laugh!

Just wish I'd never joined as I just want to delete it. If I deactivate it and it lies dormant, then at some point facebook will delete it as it is unused?

No, it is never deleted.

They own you forever.

Oh well, a lesson learnt then! Social media has its place, but its not for me.