Google searches for how to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads are on the rise following Meta's decision to eliminate its third-party fact-checking system and relax its content moderation policies.
Those angry about the decision say Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has paid the price for making the company's social media platforms even more hotbeds of misinformation and polarizing speech. They are accusing him of paying his way to the Trump administration. Mr. Zuckerberg's statement that the company's third-party fact checkers were “too politically biased” for his vision of “free expression” probably didn't help matters.
Since Mehta's announcement, many users have pointed out the inconsistency with Zuckerberg's new commitment to free speech. Meta admitted in mid-January that it had blocked links to Instagram competitor Pixelfed. And days after Zuckerberg took a front-row seat at President Donald Trump's inauguration, Instagram blocked searches related to a number of political hashtags, including #democrats and #jan6th.
People outside the United States may also be considering their options. Meta says it will have fact checkers in markets outside the U.S. “for the time being,” but that could change.
So if you, like countless others, have ever fallen in love with Meta's algorithms; [insert cultural or political issue here] If you're tired of companies slurping up your data to train AI or send you targeted ads or political messages, keep reading.
How to download Facebook archives
Image credit: Meta
If you're serious about deleting your Facebook account (rather than just deactivating it), you may want to remove your personal information such as photos, active sessions, chat history, IP address, facial recognition data, and clicked ads from the Facebook archive. You need to download it from. Above.
Please note that these steps require a computer and a web browser, not a mobile phone.
Here's what you need to do:
Click the down arrow below your profile picture in the top right corner.[設定とプライバシー]>[設定]Move to. Scroll down the left column to “Your Information” and click “Download Your Information.” You will be asked to visit your Account Center. Click Continue. When the pop-up appears, click Download or Transfer Information. You can choose which accounts to download information from, including Facebook, Instagram, and Meta Horizon accounts. Click Next. Select the amount of information you want to download and click Next. Note from FB: “Selecting specific types of information allows you to choose the type of information you want to download, such as data logs.” Decide whether you want to download the information to your device or transfer the information directly to the destination, Click Next.[宛先に転送]If you select , you can select a destination and schedule a future transfer. Once you've made your selection, click “Start Transfer” and enter your Facebook profile password.[デバイスにダウンロード]If you select , select a file option. There are lists that allow you to create date ranges, download in HTML or JSON, and choose between high, medium, and low media quality. Click Submit Request.
How to delete your Facebook account
Image credit: Meta
Note: If you delete your account, you won't be able to access it again. Facebook will postpone the deletion for a few days after the deletion is requested and cancel the deletion request if you log back into Facebook during this period.
Also note that some information, such as your message history, is not saved on your account, so you may still be able to access the messages your friends send you even after your account is deleted.
With that in mind, here's how:
Click your profile picture in the top right corner.[設定とプライバシー]>[設定]Move to. Click Account Center at the top left of the screen. Click “Personal Details” under “Account Settings”.[アカウントの所有権と管理]Click. Click Deactivate or Delete. Select the account or profile you want to deactivate. Select “Deactivate Account”.[続行]Click and follow the instructions to confirm.
How to download Instagram information
There are two ways to find the web page to download Instagram information. One way is through Account Center, and the other way is through Instagram Settings. In the former case,[あなたの情報と権限]Go to[あなたの情報のダウンロード]Find. To access Instagram settings, click the three parallel lines at the bottom left of the screen, then[あなたのアクティビティ…]Click.
No matter which step you follow,[情報のダウンロード]The page will be displayed. You must click on the profile for which you want to download information and choose whether to download it to your device or transfer the information directly to another destination.
[デバイスにダウンロード]If you select , you'll need to select a date range, notification email, format for your download request, and quality of photos, videos, and other media, just as you would when downloading Facebook information. Then click Create File.
Once you make a request, the information download tool[現在のアクティビティ]to tab[進行中]will be displayed as Instagram will notify you via email and app when it's ready. Please allow 4 days for the information to download.
How to delete your Instagram account
Have you downloaded your information? Now you're ready to permanently delete it.
Here's how to do this on a web page:
Go directly to your account ownership and control settings in Account Center. Click Deactivate or Delete. Click the account you want to delete. Click “Delete Account” and then “Continue”.
If your account is deleted and you change your mind, you can sign up again with the same username if it's still available.
How to delete thread account
Note: If you delete the Instagram account associated with your Threads profile, your Threads profile will also be deleted.
However, to delete only threads, you need to visit the Threads.net web page on your computer and follow these steps:
Click on the two parallel lines at the bottom left of the page,[設定]Click. Click Account at the top and deactivate or delete your profile. Click Delete Profile. Follow the prompts that appear and click Delete Thread Profile.
Please allow 30 days for your deletion request to complete. Also, if you want to sign up again with the same Instagram profile, you'll have to wait 90 days.