Users Complain that Facebook, Like Herpes, Just Doesn't Go Away

LIFETIME MEMBER Facebook Facebook's invasive Beacon advertising platform isn't the only aspect of the company that is raising privacy concerns. According to a story in today's New York Times, the Palo Alto-based outfit has made it dam near impossible for users to delete unwanted accounts, infuriating a lot of those who no longer want their Pokes and wall posts and e-mail addresses broadcast to friends and colleagues online.

It seems those who wish to remove themselves from Facebook's archives must first undertake a Herculean series of tasks ranging from individually deleting every piece of information in their profiles to sending e-mails to Facebook representatives requesting permanent deletion—and even then might not be successful. "It's like the Hotel California," a user who tried for two months to delete his account tells the Times. "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."