# If I want to completely delete a post, I should just hide them?

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/if-i-want-to-completely-delete-a-post-i-should-just-hide-them/56720
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [1 בפברואר,‏ 2017,‏ 4:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/if-i-want-to-completely-delete-a-post-i-should-just-hide-them/56720 "2017-02-01T16:30:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 12

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### Author: ![Canapin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/canapin/32/119591_2.png) [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [14 בינואר,‏ 2020,‏ 9:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/if-i-want-to-completely-delete-a-post-i-should-just-hide-them/56720/12 "2020-01-14T21:34:15Z")

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> [@sam](#):
>
> ```plaintext
> ./launcher enter app
> rails c
> Post.find(THE_POST_ID).destroy
> 
> ```
> 
> Note this is 100% non recoverable short of grabbing a backup, so be careful.

Hi,  
Since Discourse “soft-deletes” posts, can we consider this rails command the _recommended way_ to completely delete a post containing highly sensitive information such as those @icaria36 provided as examples? If it isn’t, what would be the recommended way to deal with these kind of posts?

Is there a case that comes to your mind where completely deleting a post like this would break something in Discourse?

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