# Gebruikers die zichzelf verwijderen/anonimiseren?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [8 juni 2023 om 12:17 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657 "2023-06-08T12:17:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ganncamp](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ganncamp)
#### Post date: [8 juni 2023 om 12:17 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657/1 "2023-06-08T12:17:40Z")
Just received this oh so gracious “request” from a user:
> Delete my forum account, \*\*\*\* .. you have not given me any means to anonymize or delete the account, and there is no way to contact the moderators on your variant of this crap forum software. Ensure none of my personal data remains there.
As a global admin, I can (and did) anonymize the account. And then I went to my own preferences to figure out what this person could have done for him/herself. And found… nothing.
Did we forget to toggle something, or does this really not exist?
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [8 juni 2023 om 12:29 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657/2 "2023-06-08T12:29:06Z")
As far as I know, this answer’s still valid today:
> [@How can a user self-delete?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-can-a-user-self-delete/26227/7):
>
> Self service delete for users with lots of posts is not desirable, it can be very disruptive to forum members. They can simply contact a moderator who can take care of this if needed either by anonymizing or deleting.
But there should be an easy way to contact your staff for such queries. If personal messages are disabled, it might be an issue. On my forum, I’ve added this in my privacy section, because users can send PMs starting from TL1:
> **[Privacy - Unicyclist.com](https://unicyclist.com/privacy#data-deletion)**
>
> Accounts on this site can be anonymized or deleted at the users request. Contact the administrator @canapin for details. | Explore, learn, share, and meet riders from all around the world!
And also, there’s an email address at the end of the /about page.
You might also be interested in this theme component:
> [@Account Deletion Request](https://meta.discourse.org/t/account-deletion-request/245037):
>
> information_sourceSummary Add Account Deletion Request dropdown to account page.hammer_and_wrenchRepository [GitHub - VaperinaDEV/discourse-account-deletion-request: Add Account Deletion Request dropdown to account page. · GitHub](https://github.com/VaperinaDEV/discourse-account-deletion-request)questionInstall Guide [How to install a theme or theme component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-do-i-install-a-theme-or-theme-component/63682)open_bookNew to Discourse Themes? [Beginner’s guide to using Discourse Themes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/beginners-guide-to-using-discourse-themes/91966) Hello wave This is a theme component to add an account deletion request dropdown to the accoun…
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [8 juni 2023 om 12:41 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657/3 "2023-06-08T12:41:18Z")
There’s also the `delete user self max post count` admin setting:
---
### Author:  [@Stephen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [8 juni 2023 om 14:22 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657/4 "2023-06-08T14:22:22Z")
The setting is there until a user passes `delete user self max post count`.
This theme component is a good remedy if you want to keep something in the UI:
> [@Account Deletion Request](https://meta.discourse.org/t/account-deletion-request/245037):
>
> information_sourceSummary Add Account Deletion Request dropdown to account page.hammer_and_wrenchRepository [GitHub - VaperinaDEV/discourse-account-deletion-request: Add Account Deletion Request dropdown to account page. · GitHub](https://github.com/VaperinaDEV/discourse-account-deletion-request)questionInstall Guide [How to install a theme or theme component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-do-i-install-a-theme-or-theme-component/63682)open_bookNew to Discourse Themes? [Beginner’s guide to using Discourse Themes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/beginners-guide-to-using-discourse-themes/91966) Hello wave This is a theme component to add an account deletion request dropdown to the accoun…
Edit: oof, @canapin was way ahead with that one :facepalm:
---
### Author:  [@RBoy](https://meta.discourse.org/u/RBoy)
#### Post date: [12 september 2023 om 02:02 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657/6 "2023-09-12T02:02:38Z")
I also vote for this feature, it’s sorely missing and allowing users to self anonymize and delete their data would be a much appreciated feature to allow admins to comply with regulations as well as their company policies. I think discourse should let admin’s decide what’s in the best interest of their users and respective sites. Allowing users to self anonymize and delete their accounts will be immensely helpful
Cross linking the topics and discussions:
> [@How to always allow users to delete their own accounts?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-always-allow-users-to-delete-their-own-accounts/278348/15):
>
> Thanks for clarifying that. Would it possible to include this option as a configurable option in the admin settings UI? It would be super helpful have 2 options available for the site admins: Always allow users to delete their accounts and all posts permanently Always allow users to delete their accounts and anonymize all posts It would be very valuable add for compliance as ease to maintenance. Are these hard to implement?
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### Author:  [@dfabulich](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dfabulich)
#### Post date: [20 februari 2025 om 18:15 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/users-self-deleting-anonymizing/267657/10 "2025-02-20T18:15:28Z")
I just voted for this feature, but specifically I want to allow users to _anonymize_ themselves.
I think it’s absolutely right that users shouldn’t be able to delete themselves once they’ve posted a lot or been around for a long time, but I think it would be really helpful for all users to be able to anonymize their own account.
> [@How can a user self-delete?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-can-a-user-self-delete/26227/7):
>
> Self service delete for users with lots of posts is not desirable, it can be very disruptive to forum members. They can simply contact a moderator who can take care of this if needed either by anonymizing or deleting.
In my experience, every time this has happened, it’s been _super_ unpleasant. The kind of person who wants to be deleted is usually having _very_ strong feelings about it, and it seems like the lack of a “Delete My Account” button aggravates those feelings.
When a user is so upset that they want to delete their account, and then find that they can’t, they tend to feel trapped in a cage. When they do get around to “simply contact a moderator,” they’re upset and _angry_.
These users typically _demand_ that their account be deleted. They make threats, legal and otherwise. They are not at all open to a nuanced conversation about deletion vs. anonymization.
I just got another one of these this week, and I _really_ don’t want to deal with another one.
As I’m imagining this feature, all users would have a “Delete My Account” button. Users who are under the deletion limits (`delete user max post age`, `delete user self max post count`) would get today’s “Delete My Account” experience.
Anyone _over_ that limit would see a different dialog, saying something like this:
> Are you sure you want to permanently delete your account?
>
> Deleting your account will delete your user profile, but **your public posts will remain on the forum.** (Your posts will be anonymized, so nobody can see who posted them.)
>
> This action cannot be undone!
>
> ⚠ Delete My Account
> Cancel
And then, if they click “Delete My Account,” they’d be logged out and anonymized.
(Despite the claim that anonymization can’t be undone, it _can_ be undone if the user creates a new account and an admin merges the anonymized account with the new one. So I’m not too worried about letting users anonymize themselves; we can always fix it later.)