JustDeleteMe will help with the solution of the problem - this is a directory of brief instructions and direct links for deleting user accounts on popular sites. Let's talk about the capabilities of the tool, as well as discuss how things are with requests to delete personal data in general.
A photo - β CC BY SA
Why delete yourself
There are many reasons why you might want to delete an account. You may simply not need an account on a resource that you do not use. For example, you registered on it a few years ago to test the service, but then changed your mind about purchasing a subscription. Or you just abandoned one application in favor of another.
Leaving unused accounts is also quite dangerous from the point of view of information security. The number of personal data leaks in the world . And one forgotten account can be the reason for their compromise. At the end of 2017, specialists from the information security company 4iq in the network the largest database with 1,4 billion stolen "accounts". At the same time, even a fragment of seemingly βneutralβ information (for example, an email without a password) can help attackers collect missing information about the βvictimβ from other services where his accounts exist.
On the other hand, although deleting an account is an important aspect of cyber hygiene, on some sites this procedure is not so simple. Sometimes you have to look for a special button in the settings for a long time and even contact technical support. For example, Blizzard may ask you to send a paper application with a signature and a copy of an identity document. In turn, one of the Western developers of cloud applications is still issuing requests to delete user accounts over the phone. To simplify all these procedures and help the layman "cover" the information trail, the JustDeleteMe library was proposed.
How JustDeleteMe can help
The site is a database of direct links to close accounts with brief instructions. Each resource is marked with a color indicating the complexity of this process. Green indicates that the account can be deleted at the click of a button, and red indicates that you need to write to technical support and perform other actions. All sites can be sorted by complexity or popularity - there is also a search by their names.
Also JustDeleteMe has an extension . It adds a colored dot to the browser's omnibar to indicate how difficult it is to remove your data from the current site. By clicking on this dot, you will immediately be taken to a page with a form to close your account.
Deleting your data just got easier
In addition to JustDeleteMe, other tools are emerging that help you control your personal data. For example, such a function for their services recently in Google. It automatically deletes the user's search history and location information every 3-18 months (the period is set by the user). Experts that in the future more companies will begin to switch to similar models of working with data.
Also, the IT company practices the so-called "". Under certain conditions, any person may request that their personal data be removed from public access through search engines. For example, between 2014 and 2017, Google a million requests to remove PD from individuals, public figures and politicians.
A photo - β CC BY SA
Unfortunately, so far there are companies that do not allow the removal of users' personal data at all. Even large organizations βsinβ with this - the domain name registrar GoDaddy or the DHL delivery service. Interestingly, Hacker News, where active discussion JustDeleteMe, also does not delete user accounts. This fact at the residents.
But it is likely that such resources will soon be forced to rethink their workflows. Sites that do not allow you to close your account violate the requirements of the GDPR. In particular, The regulation states that the user must be able to completely delete data about himself.
European regulators have so far turned a blind eye to violations by small companies, focusing on large data leaks, and niche resources manage to avoid liability. Although experts say that in the near future the situation may change. In April, the Danish regulator the first penalty for missing the deadline for the removal of PD. It was received by the taxi service Taxa - the amount exceeded 160 thousand euros. It can be expected that such situations will draw additional attention to this issue and the process of deleting personal data from different services will become easier.
On the other hand, the question of the actual removal of personal data from the servers of companies will remain. But the trend for its broad discussion will certainly continue to gain momentum.
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Source: habr.com