# Delete account? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 20, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272 "2014-01-20T13:30:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnigomasand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Johnigomasand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnigomasand)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/1 "2014-01-20T13:30:35Z")
How to delete my account? ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/2 "2014-01-20T13:32:00Z")
You can’t. Just stop posting and delete your bookmark for the forum(s). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/3 "2014-01-20T15:28:20Z")
Upping with us is like joining the Mafia. Try to leave and you could be sleepin’ wid de fishies. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/4 "2014-01-20T16:21:49Z")
We don’t “delete accounts” here. If you don’t want to participate, just stop posting. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/5 "2014-01-20T16:24:55Z")
What’s weird is the OP posted once, in June 2012, and then today asks to have his/her account deleted. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/6 "2014-01-20T16:48:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What’s weird is the OP posted once, in June 2012, and then today asks to have his/her account deleted. Most likely brought back the by the password hacking email sent to users. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/7 "2014-01-20T17:52:47Z")
_“I’ve built great bridges, but do they call me Johnigomasand the Bridge Builder? I’ve donated millions to charity, but do they call me Johnigomasand the Philanthropist? I’ve founded symphony orchestras but do they call me Johnigomasand the Musician? But you straighten ONE dope…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/8 "2014-01-20T18:23:42Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > _“I’ve built great bridges, but do they call me Johnigomasand the Bridge Builder? > I’ve donated millions to charity, but do they call me Johnigomasand the Philanthropist? > I’ve founded symphony orchestras but do they call me Johnigomasand the Musician? > But you straighten ONE dope…”_ I told this joke on the chairlift yesterday. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/9 "2014-01-21T00:05:59Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Most likely brought back the by the password hacking email sent to users. …which seems like a legitimate reason to honor requests to delete old accounts that aren’t being used anymore. I’m sure there are quite a few long-dormant users that have suddenly developed an “if you can’t be trusted not to leak my information then please give me a way to delete it from your site” attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/10 "2014-01-21T02:39:55Z")
> [@Johnigomasand](#): > > How to delete my account? Wow! Half of all the posts you have ever made is a request to delete your account! ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/11 "2014-01-21T04:49:46Z")
Well first you have to pay the[unsubcription fe](http://www.humournet.com/unsub_fee.html)e. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/12 "2014-01-21T13:24:57Z")
> [@spinky](#): > > …which seems like a legitimate reason to honor requests to delete old accounts that aren’t being used anymore. I’m sure there are quite a few long-dormant users that have suddenly developed an “if you can’t be trusted not to leak my information then please give me a way to delete it from your site” attitude. But it’s pretty easy to remove that information yourself. Just log into your account, change the email address and password to nonsense. Could be done in about the same time as it took to post. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/13 "2014-01-21T19:06:59Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But it’s pretty easy to remove that information yourself. Just log into your account, change the email address and password to nonsense. Could be done in about the same time as it took to post. I don’t think that’s the point. If you don’t care about the site, you wouldn’t even bother with changing your password (I didn’t). People are worried that their other passwords are compromised. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/14 "2014-01-21T20:55:55Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > I don’t think that’s the point. If you don’t care about the site, you wouldn’t even bother with changing your password (I didn’t). People are worried that their other passwords are compromised. But if you are worried about your information you can remove it - it has the exact same effect. I don’t see what other passwords you are concerned about. The breach has already occurred, that password is compromised. Deleting your SMDB account or changing your SMDB password have the same effect on the immediate problem - nothing. Both have the same effect long term if you want to use similar passwords. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/15 "2014-01-21T21:58:21Z")
Before you flounce, could you possibly explain the name? It’s got me baffled. John I. Gomasand? John I go ma sand? Johnigo Masand? John Igomas and? ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/16 "2014-01-21T22:07:42Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But it’s pretty easy to remove that information yourself. Just log into your account, change the email address and password to nonsense. Could be done in about the same time as it took to post. It’s been a while since I changed my email, but I seem to recall you’re required to verify that the email address is valid before the change fully takes effect, so giving a junk email address won’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/17 "2014-01-21T22:18:05Z")
> [@spinky](#): > > It’s been a while since I changed my email, but I seem to recall you’re required to verify that the email address is valid before the change fully takes effect, so giving a junk email address won’t work. Sure you can. Open Yahoo (or other email program) and create an email account that you will never use again. Leave Yahoo open, open another tab for the SDMB and change your email address, back to Yahoo and confirm the change with the email link. Close and you are done. I could go to my user CP and look up the email account I created but I don’t know what the password I used was and it doesn’t matter because I will never open that email account again. If someone want to contact me they can send a PM within this message board, no one needs my email address. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/18 "2014-01-22T00:29:53Z")
Because if there’s one thing that solves the problem of having an account you don’t want, it’s having **two** accounts you don’t want. Pure genius. ETA: PS. You may not want to admit publicly that your email address is not a valid method of contacting you. I believe the administration here gets kind of cranky about that. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/19 "2014-01-22T00:47:14Z")
> [@spinky](#): > > It’s been a while since I changed my email, but I seem to recall you’re required to verify that the email address is valid before the change fully takes effect, so giving a junk email address won’t work. But it will work for purposes of keeping your email safe from the next hacker attack; it only “won’t work” if you want to post again, which of course is the whole point of wanting one’s account deleted. Change your password to “password.” Then change your email to [webmaster@straightdope.com](mailto:webmaster@straightdope.com). It will sent a confirm email to that address, and of course no one will read it or respond to it. At that point, the account can’t post, search, or do the other nifty things accounts can do but it can access the user CP so if for some reason you want to come back you just enter “password” and change the email back to one to which you have access. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272/20 "2014-01-22T03:57:54Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > But it will work for purposes of keeping your email safe from the next hacker attack; it only “won’t work” if you want to post again, which of course is the whole point of wanting one’s account deleted. > > Change your password to “password.” Then change your email to [webmaster@straightdope.com](mailto:webmaster@straightdope.com). It will sent a confirm email to that address, and of course no one will read it or respond to it. At that point, the account can’t post, search, or do the other nifty things accounts can do but it can access the user CP so if for some reason you want to come back you just enter “password” and change the email back to one to which you have access. I am skeptical about this. I’ll bet that before you have confirmed your new email, you can still use your old email to reset your password, for example. If that’s the case, it must still be on file. I’m open to being corrected if I’m wrong, but I doubt it. It’s fairly standard in systems that require email confirmation that the old email is still active until the new one is confirmed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delete-account/679272.md?page=2)