Users opting out

how to deal with users who want to be deleted from the database

[daamsie]

My site is fairly new, so this problem hasn't really arisen till recently. I am starting to get occasional requests from people who want to be removed from the site .. I don't provide a 'delete me' link or any such easy removal means, so I am wondering what the best way to go about this is. Currently, I have just remove their usernames from the database completely and had to find all references (in other tables) to their username and delete those also.

The problem that I am foreseeing though, is that at some point one of these users will have posted a question or answer in the forum and by deleting their userdetails, the forum will be corrupted - ie. their name will be blank or otherwise.

Are there any standard ways of removing users? Is it possible/legal to write into the TOS that once they're signed up they can't be taken off? Or should I simply change their details to make them unrecognizable?

Any ideas are most welcome.

[Brett_Tabke]

Username lives forever, but you can remove their account.

[Marketing Guy]

I don't think a non-opt out clause in the TOS is a good idea. Possibly not legal too (not sure).

Scott

[Brett_Tabke]

Very legal. If you are using nicknames, the only thing you have to remove is their email address. Even that can be covered by a tos.

Mainly, users that want removed are trying to make sure their email address doesn't get passed around - can't say as I blame them.

[Marketing Guy]

What about sites that hold more than the standard information?

A job board that holds your CV for example?

Ive seen instances of job boards holding people's CVs even after the account is deactivated and using the data as normal. Is it still legal to do this by covering it in the TOS?

Another side question as well:

What lengths are you required to go to inform existing users about changes in the TOS? In particular with regards to Data Protection and changes to the way you will use that data.

For example, if I registered with a site who's TOS said - "We wont use your data for any marketing purposes" - then I am agreeing to that contract.

But, if they change their TOS to start up a marketing campaign with the data, then surely that would be breaching the contract?

Scott

[txbakers]

Real life customer service question.

If a person wants to be removed, remove them. You'll make more friends that way instead of trying to retain them for whatever purpose.

And send a personal email letting them know they have been removed and thanking them for looking.

[cfx211]

Add an active flag to your database. When a user asks to be opted out, change the active flag from Y to D. Y being active, D being deactivated.

Then when you pull your lists, only select users who are active. This way you keep the data, but don't have to worry about spamming people who are opted out.

For the sake of referential integrity it is bad to remove accounts completely from a table.

[daamsie]

If a person wants to be removed, remove them

Yes, I agree tx and this is what I have been doing so far, but the problem is that their information is part of a larger whole and if I remove it, it will corrupt other features and ruin the experience for everyone. So I need a way to make sure I can delete people's information while still keeping the site in tact.

From your answers so far I have come to the following conclusion..

I will add an 'active' flag to each user's account. If a user wants out that will simply be set to 'inactive' - The only informaiton that is still referring to them though then is forum entries, which will be linked to their user profile which will now be empty, or simply filled in as 'anonymous'. Seems fair to me.

The thing that gets me is that none of my user's email addresses are visible anywhere on the site and they can change it or ANY of their details at anytime they like (to dud ones if they prefer)- they can choose whether they want to be sent emails (forum notification or newsletter) and basically the only thing they can't do is delete their UserID or forumentries, etc.. completely. Kind of frustrating to have set up this level of control and privacy and still see people want to get out of it : ( Just the name of the game I guess..

What lengths are you required to go to inform existing users about changes in the TOS?

I am interested in this also - clearly if I were to specify something like this in a new TOS, it would be hard to say to those that agreed to an earlier TOS that these are the rules they agreed to?