How to Delete Yourself from Social Media
Have you been thinking that it’s time to make the drastic choice to remove yourself from social media? Most of us were quick to join the social media bandwagon, but these days, you might have worries about privacy. Though it’s possible to delete yourself from social media, the process isn’t easy, and it might not be totally foolproof.
Why Do You Want to Leave?
Before getting into how to delete yourself from social media, it’s important to ask yourself why you want to leave. Experts say totally deleting yourself might not be the best move. For instance, a potential employer, who will more than likely search for you on social media sites, especially LinkedIn, might wonder what you are trying to hide. There is also the fact that removing yourself from social media can make you look boring, unhip, or illegitimate.
Deleting Your Accounts
If you are sure that you want to delete your social media accounts, there are sites that you can use to find out how. These include:
Are Deleted Accounts Really Deleted?
Even if you have deleted your social media accounts, it’s important to make sure that you are fully deleting them or simply deactivating them. Some sites, even after you delete the accounts, will continue to retain the data you supplied.
Delete All Social Media, Not Just The Big Four
If you are serious about deleting your social media account, make sure that you are looking beyond the big four: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus. Other sites have your data, too, including sites like Flickr, dating sites, blogs, support forums, Amazon, eBay, etc. There are also old social media sites you might not use anymore, like MySpace. Whether you have signed in lately or not, your old MySpace could be lurking out there.
What You Will Lose…and Gain…From Deleting Social Media Accounts
You will lose and gain when you delete your social media accounts. You stand to lose your marketing presence, for one, and you might not be able to go back. You also might lose touch with friends and family, or your sense of community. On the flip side, though, you will gain more time and probably have less anxiety.
Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video.
