Profile deletion disabled on this site?

[Yigal]

That's why it says "SMF Friend"

Jeff isn't just a 'friend' of SMF... he's more than that - a lot more.

Yeah, he's our eternal slave who fetches us ice drinks and massages our achy shoulders

(Kidding Jeff, I love you really!!)

LOL awe, that's sweet.  I bet the reason he's not replying is cuz he's getting you some drink ... hm jk jk

[Jeff Lewis]

LOL awe, that's sweet.  I bet the reason he's not replying is cuz he's getting you some drink ... hm jk jk

She's quite the slave driver...

[Yigal]

 * Jade hides whip
Jade: What are you talking about

jkjk

[Jade Elizabeth]

LOL awe, that's sweet.  I bet the reason he's not replying is cuz he's getting you some drink ... hm jk jk

She's quite the slave driver...

But you love me right?! RIGHT?!

[Yigal]

LOL awe, that's sweet.  I bet the reason he's not replying is cuz he's getting you some drink ... hm jk jk

She's quite the slave driver...

But you love me right?! RIGHT?!

Yes.  Oh, you were talking to Jeff

[Jeff Lewis]

As a result of this, Facebook has agreed to make changes to it's system - (http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2009/nr-c_090827_e.cfm). A pretty good move for everyone who gives a crap about their privacy and control of their material online. This may have some implications across all websites.

Makes sense as people should be able to delete their information from any site. After speaking with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, they are working with the US on some of these privacy issues and when asked about "small" sites, she stated that these are not immune to privacy laws.

So sites may want to start being careful with what they do as far as privacy goes and their "deletion policies"

[青山 素子]

So sites may want to start being careful with what they do as far as privacy goes and their "deletion policies"

At least, from what I see on priv.gc.ca, individuals have the right to see private information being stored on them, they have the right to make corrections, and they also have the right to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner if they feel their private information is being misused.

As far as I can tell, there is no right to demand that all records a company holds be destroyed. That includes deletion of a membership account. No private information needs to be scrubbed unless it is incorrect, in which case, it can be replaced with correct information.

Most of the information I got came from:

A Guide for Individuals: Your Guide to PIPEDA
A Guide for Businesses and Organizations: Your Privacy Responsibilities
Privacy Guide for Small Businesses: The Basics
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act

SMF the software shows to the member all the personal data on their, which is voluntarily provided, except for IPs (I think you can see your own IP?), which is still noted as being collected. Posts are public data and shouldn't be expected as private. PMs are considered private and SMF the software doesn't provide a UI for viewing those of other members. Any private data that can be shown to the general public has to be entered by the member, making sure that person is fully aware that they are making the data available to the public.

As far as I can tell, SMF the software and this forum itself are following those guidelines and rules just fine. Of course, we have no issue with a member abandoning an account and removing their personal profile data.

[Jeff Lewis]

You should have sent all your research to Facebook!

[Orstio]

"These changes mean that the privacy of 200 million Facebook users in Canada and around the world will be far better protected," says Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart.

Either that sentence doesn't read right, or there are a whole lot more FaceBook users in Canada than actual citizens....

[Thantos]

Quebec citizens have two accounts, one in French and one in English.

[Orstio]

So, that leaves only 150 million unaccounted for.... 

[青山 素子]

You should have sent all your research to Facebook!

Well, I'm sure they had their own legal team. It seems the concern was over the indefinate holding of personal information. That seems reasonable. It doesn't seem that they really had to implement a direct purge though, just discard the data after a reasonable time.

If you delete your account here, under approval, all personal information (username, password, associated e-mail, PMs) are removed, and only the public posts are left. I might contact the privacy office and see if that is in keeping with their view of the law, just because I'm curious.

[Jeff Lewis]

"These changes mean that the privacy of 200 million Facebook users in Canada and around the world will be far better protected," says Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart.

Either that sentence doesn't read right, or there are a whole lot more FaceBook users in Canada than actual citizens....

Read it like "200 million Facebook users in Canada and around the world"

So Canada and the world.

[Jade Elizabeth]

I might contact the privacy office and see if that is in keeping with their view of the law, just because I'm curious.

Please do, I'd like to know too .

[poolhall]

Facebook is quite different from most internet forums. Facebook requires that users must provide their real names and birthdays; users urged to verify their accounts via their cell phones. Once I tried to shorten my last name on Facebook to leave only initial and I couldn't. Even if I had been able to do so, this action would have gone in clear disagreement with Facebook policy. Hence Facebook accounts are linked to real personal information. Internet forum accounts are not in most cases and at least they don't require that. Therefore, legal standard regarding deletion of accounts may very well be different in these two cases.

[Jeff Lewis]

Even if that is the case you think a site would delete a persons information at their request.

[poolhall]

I don't know what a regular site would do. But regarding internet forums, I feel that the issue is quite complicated starting from the definition of personal information (or person's information, as you put it).

[Orstio]

Frankly, after reading the article, I do have to wonder if the changes will really address the atual concerns of privacy.

Reading the FaceBook statement of rights:

http://www.facebook.com/terms.php

Here are some concerns:

For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos ("IP content"), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook ("IP License"). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.

Bolding mine.  So, you can delete your account, which will delete your photos, unless FaceBook has chosen to share (transfer) those photos to a sub-licensee.  (Note that it doesn't say who does the sharing, just that it is shared.)  In which case it has been shared with others, and your privacy is disregarded.  What's also scary here is the phrase "or in connection with FaceBook".  What constitutes "in connection"?  A link to a FaceBook account off-site?  A link to a real-life CV, resume, business association, etc. from somebody else's FaceBook account?

Just the simple fact that when you sign up you are granting them transferable rights to your intellectual property indicates that they can transfer it to another party with whom you have no direct agreement to terms.

[青山 素子]

Internet forum accounts are not in most cases and at least they don't require that. Therefore, legal standard regarding deletion of accounts may very well be different in these two cases.

They still do collect some information that is considered private such as IP address and e-mail address. A straight account deletion while leaving posts intact would fix that issue (all account-specific info would be removed).

[Arantor]

They still do collect some information that is considered private such as IP address and e-mail address. A straight account deletion while leaving posts intact would fix that issue (all account-specific info would be removed).

Doesn't it retain email address and poster IP though in SMF by default, or am I thinking of something else?