Delete Facebook #2

Progress made: deletion of logins.

The first easy step to end my dependence on Facebook is to delete all my websites and third-party applications logins. As I said in my previous post, I have 123 logins. And what have I found among those?

For starters, reviewing the list, most of them are websites that I know and use, so I had to go one by one, checking if they have the option to identify myself without Facebook or any other social network. Or if I no longer use them or do not interest me anymore, to delete the accounts and applications.

Before going through the different cases that I have found, in this post I want to highlight one in particular: Cosmopolitan-like tests websites. I imagine that many of us have fallen at some point in this, to laugh with someone on Facebook, like those of QuizzStar. To do so, you have to identify yourself with our Facebook account. What information do these websites usually collect?

Permissions for QuizzStar

I've looked at others, like vonvon, and the permissions are identical or worse. This is a good example of the misuse we do (yes, us) of our own data, giving them away in exchange for a frivolous and funny result. Can anyone justify that the digital version of a teen magazine test needs all this? Most likely, the tests are a hook to obtain and sell personal data.

Once we understand the seriousness of the matter, the question we immediately ask ourselves is “How can I get them to delete my data?”. The answer is not simple as to delete the entry from the list but to contact each web and application manually and ask them to be removed by giving a user identifier from the same permission screen. This is insane!

Interlude: while writing this post, Facebook has given me this reminder about the new European regulation on data protection. :facepalm:

Prepare for the General Data Protection Regulation

I want to give you an example. I have an application called Instant Win. Following what is stated in the Facebook Help Center, I do:

  1. I search for the application: Instant Win.
  2. On the page (blank) I look for a small link at the end of the right column that says “Report/Contact”.
  3. I follow the wizard, indicating that I want to send a message to the developer (last option).
  4. I follow the link on the next screen to send a message (sic).
  5. It takes me to the Woobox help center, apparently the developer of the application.
  6. I try to find a way to contact Woobox, but there is no form or address.
  7. So I decide to go to the main website.
  8. At the bottom of the page I find a contact address and send them the following email:

Hello,

I recently found that I used your Facebook app Instant win at some point. I do not longer use it. Please delete any data related to user ID XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and confirm.

Failure to comply with this request will be reported to the Spanish Data Protection Agency, as it would be against GDPR's article 17.

This request is based on the procedure provided by Facebook in its Help Center.

Thanks, Dario

Now I have to wait. I want to believe that I have found a bad example and with others it will be different. If not, this will show the little interest that Facebook (and some websites) have in the protection of our data.