How many years has it been since you created your social media account?
If you are an avid Google, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter user, chances are that your earliest accounts were created in 2004.
That’s right: 2004!
You might not even remember them.
It is more than likely that some of these accounts contain content and information you no longer want to see online.
If this is the case, then it’s time to take some action!
We will explain how to find your old online accounts and delete them for good so they don’t haunt you for eternity.
Why You Should Delete Your Old Online Accounts
There are a few reasons why you should delete your old online accounts.
First, old accounts can be a security risk. If you no longer use the account, hackers may be able to access your personal information.
Additionally, outdated information on old accounts can lead to identity theft. Data breaches are expected to reach a record level next year, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) research.
From a cybersecurity perspective, the breach has exposed information that potentially puts users at risk. Anyone who can access your email address and iPhone or Android smartphone is vulnerable to this type of hacking. The hackers gained unauthorized access to your full names, email addresses, chat messages, location, passwords, and even credit card numbers!
Finally, having multiple accounts can be confusing and time-consuming to manage. It’s simpler and safer to delete unused accounts and simplify your online life.
How Can I Find All My Online Accounts
You have probably already forgotten what and when you have registered those accounts. Here are some methods to help you locate your old accounts:
1. Go through your password manager or the credentials you have saved in your browser.
If you use a password manager to organize all of your login credentials, it will essentially be a database of all of the accounts you have open. Some password managers have useful sort features like “Date last used” to help you quickly find out all the unused accounts.
Even if you use your browser’s built-in password manager, it may retain many of your accounts. Examine the list of saved logins for any accounts that you no longer use in Settings/Preferences > Passwords/Profiles/Privacy & Security.
2. Search your email inbox thoroughly
It’s possible that there are welcome messages from accounts you’ve created in the past. Search for phrases like “welcome to,” “confirm your account” or “verify your email” and see what pops up.
3. Check for exposed email addresses
Have I been hacked? It’s worth checking whether your email address has already appeared in a data breach using Have I Been Pwned? website. Simply type your email or phone to start searching. You may use this service to learn about leaks in your email address. It might bring up memories of previous old accounts.
4. Identify accounts where you used Google, Facebook, or Twitter to log in
If you’re using a service that allows for sign-in with Facebook, Google or Twitter accounts, be sure to also check the permissions of any other apps connected through these login options. It is always best practice (and necessary) to revoke access from these sites before cutting off all links between your account at stake.
What to Do if I Can’t Find the Login Information for an Account
We all have those days where we forget our passwords. But don’t worry! You can easily recover them by clicking on the forgot password link or typing in your email address and username to get back in.
Keep in mind you can only do this if you still have access to the email address or phone number you used to sign up. Otherwise, you can try sending an email directly to the company and following their recovery instructions.
How to Delete Your Old Online Accounts
The account deletion options are usually found in the settings menu, which can be accessed by clicking on “account” from a user’s homepage or through another option such as “privacy”.
Sometimes these menus have different names like “profile” and then there is also an additional section for general purposes that might not have anything directly related to deleting your online presence specifically but could help you out when removing personal information instead.
Typical request account deletion steps:
1. Go to the account settings page
2. Click on “Delete Your Account”
3. Confirm you want to delete your account by clicking “Yes, Delete My Account”
4. Select an option for what happens with your content (i.e., keep some or all of it) and select a reason if applicable
5. Review your information before submitting the form
6. The final step is confirming that you want to delete your account once more before proceeding with deletion
How Do I Delete an Account on Google?
Delete here: https://myaccount.google.com/deleteaccount
As Google accounts can be linked to various services, like Google Play, Contacts, Drive, Chrome sync, YouTube, and others, double-check that you’re not utilizing any of these Google services before deleting your account.
How Do I Delete an Account on Youtube?
Well, you can’t delete your YouTube account unless you also delete your Google account. However, you can remove your YouTube channel permanently.
How Do I Delete an Account on Facebook?
Delete here: https://www.facebook.com/help/delete_account
Despite being able to delete your account easily, some data, including messages, will remain on their platform forever, according to Facebook’s privacy policy. Furthermore, the deletion process begins 30 days after you click delete, and your information may not be deleted for up to 90 days.
How Do I Delete an Account on Instagram?
Delete here: https://instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent/
How Do I Delete an Account on Twitter?
Delete here: https://twitter.com/settings/accounts/confirm_deactivation
It’s simple to cancel your account, but there is a 30-day grace period before the data will be removed. After 30 days of inactivity, your account will then be erased.
How Do I Delete an Account on PayPal?
Delete here: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_close-account
How Do I Delete an Account on Whatsapp?
If you want to delete your Whatsapp account, you’ll need to use your mobile phone.
How Do I Delete an Account on TikTok?
there needs to be more discussion about social media / phone addiction and over stimulation. it got a lot worse in the pandemic and with tiktok becoming so big but i know i don’t just speak for myself when i say my attention span is awful now & i need constant stimulation
— (✿‿✿)｡•ꕥ•° (@444molls) January 3, 2022
The popular social media app TikTok has established itself as a major platform for young people to post short videos of themselves. However, if you find yourself scrolling through the feed and can’t help but glance at yours every few minutes or so, then it might be time to consider getting rid of your account.
Others
JustDelete.me includes direct account deletion links to pretty much all online websites and services. Just enter the name of the site in the search bar and click on the result to access the account deletion page.
When I Can’t Delete My Account, What Should I Do?
Some websites will not allow you to delete your account. This is a huge privacy concern and can lead many people towards having their information stolen, sold, or used for marketing purposes in some cases.
Nevertheless, you can take measures to protect your private data by logging into your account and following these tips:
1. If you have any saved payment or financial information, such as credit card numbers, removing them will prevent anyone gaining access to the account from making online purchases.
2. In the account’s settings, you can delete or change saved details like your email, name, birthday, shipping address, and other personal information. You can anonymize your accounts by using these tools:
3. If you have any private data stored in the mobile app or work computer, it’s time to delete them!
4. For those instances when you are unable to locate the online account information, a formal request by phone, mail, or email may be necessary. Sites must anonymize or de-identify the information within your account, even if they don’t have to comply with the account deletion request due to the U.S privacy laws.
To Recap…
You are at greater risk of data misuse or theft when you have too many digital accounts. Here’s how to get rid of them.
1. Delete old email accounts
2. Delete old social media accounts
3. Delete any other online accounts you don’t use anymore. E.g e-commerce sites and dating sites.
4. Backup your data if necessary
5. Delete your old online files and photos
6. Erase your browsing history and cookies
Conclusion
It’s no secret that social media has completely transformed the way we communicate with one another. It seems like there is a new platform popping up every day, and as such it can be difficult to keep track of your online presence.
There are many benefits to keeping an active profile. Still, if you’re not careful, you could open yourself up to potential identity thieves and cyber-bullies by having accounts on multiple platforms.
In the future, before you sign up for an account and hand over your data, make sure that it’s worth doing. Is this service really necessary or do they just want something from me?
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