View Full Version : Deleting yourself from vBulletin forums
Hey folks, not for here obviously, but is there an easy way to delete yourself from vBulletin forums? One or two forums I'm on have a delete account button but others not. Am I just missing something or do I have to find the admin on those forums and get them to do it?
Otherwise I think I'm going to have to troll through the forums changing passwords and email addresses to clear myself from them.
Blighter
30-06-2010, 19:56
It's not a normal vBulletin option - the ones you have done it on probably had add-ons installed.
The option to delete your own account has to be enabled implicitly by an administrator. if they don't enable it, you can't do it unfortunately.
Damn, this should be fun :(
Blighter
30-06-2010, 20:26
Just quote the Data Protection Act and most average sys admins will just poop their pants :p
Yeah I was hoping to have little or no contact with the admin on that forum because they are a bunch of idiots and will make a scene about it.
A Place of Light
10-07-2010, 09:59
Why do you want/need your account(s) deleted?
Isn't simply not visiting them anymore enough?
Stan_Lite
10-07-2010, 10:20
Why do you want/need your account(s) deleted?
Isn't simply not visiting them anymore enough?
Why is it that every time someone asks this question, someone gives the above reply at some point?
It's nobody's business but his own why he wants to delete his account but his own and if "simply not visiting them anymore" was enough, he wouldn't have asked the question.
A Place of Light
10-07-2010, 10:51
Why is it that every time someone asks this question, someone gives the above reply at some point?
Maybe because it`s the logical reply to this type of question?
It`s nobody`s business but his own why he wants to delete his account but his own and if simply not visiting them anymore was enough, he wouldn`t have asked the question.
If it`s a reason that he doesn`t wish to share, he can say so.....I of all people would respect that right to privacy, but if he omitted it just to keep the OP concise then its a valid question. While you may or may not be able to delete a forum account, you can remove any personal info that you`ve previously entered. So, other than the ip numbers attached to the posts you`ve made what else would remain and why would it impact on your life at all?
Thanks for the attitude, by the way, it went well with my toast.
Stan_Lite
10-07-2010, 10:58
Attitude ;D
A Place of Light
10-07-2010, 11:02
Attitude ;D
That\'s how it read to me, and if I read something that wasnt there that\'s my error and I apologise.
Back OT, the points I raised in my post?
I think Stan's point is fair. Why does it even need a reason? Manually finding and deleting posts is very time-consuming, difficult to be sure, and often impossible (some boards set a time limit on how long you can edit a post, for example).
PS - Not sure what you're using to browse the forums, but it's got an obvious bug! :)
Stan_Lite
10-07-2010, 11:52
Apology accepted.
As for your points. Firstly, I don't see it as the logical reply. I see it as the stock reply used time and again and very rarely in an attempt to be helpful.
Secondly. Jonny is a mature and intelligent guy. I'm sure he would have given a reason in the OP if he considered it relevant. The fact that he didn't suggests to me that his reasons are either personal or irrelevant.
The crux of the matter is, Jonny asked a question and, with the exception of E|'s joke post, all the posts until your interrogatory post were in some way informative.
The question had pretty much been answered by the time you made your post so the information you requested is superfluous.
While you may or may not be able to delete a forum account, you can remove any personal info that you\'ve previously entered. So, other than the ip numbers attached to the posts you\'ve made what else would remain and why would it impact on your life at all?
It's not always the case.... one forum (phpbb) I stopped using and removed all my details from locked me out but kept my account and they put back the info (from a backup I presume) My photo... which they put back is still publicly viewable although any other info is only viewable to paying members.
I'd rather it not be.. and although I have quoted data protection etc.. they still didn't remove it. I'm not willing to spend money on paying someone to write a letter.
I'd love to be able to remove my photo... edit so if anyone wants to write an official legal letter free of charge, or attempt to remove it by other means I'd be more than happy!
A Place of Light
10-07-2010, 17:50
I think Stan's point is fair. Why does it even need a reason?
He doesn't need a reason, but I assume he does have one and I was curious as to what it was.
As for your points. Firstly, I don't see it as the logical reply. I see it as the stock reply used time and again and very rarely in an attempt to be helpful.
IMHO when someone says they'd like advice on how to do something out of the ordinary, the logical response is always to ask why they wish to do such a thing. Most people who use forums don't delete their accounts (or ask to have them deleted), they just tend to drift away and stop posting, so deleting your account is an unusual or less common thing to do.
Secondly. Jonny is a mature and intelligent guy. I'm sure he would have given a reason in the OP if he considered it relevant. The fact that he didn't suggests to me that his reasons are either personal or irrelevant.
1. I don't know the OP.
2. It's far less common, both in actual conversations and on forums, for anyone to include all relevant information in the opening statement.
The crux of the matter is, Jonny asked a question and, with the exception of E|'s joke post, all the posts until your interrogatory post were in some way informative.
Sometimes the best advice on how to do something is not to do it at all. If the reasons behind this weren't personal then it's possible the actions taken would be different.
The question had pretty much been answered by the time you made your post so the information you requested is superfluous.
Perhaps, but if you want to run a forum in that way then the second a question has been answered the moderators should lock the thread. The OP asked a question that made me wonder about the reasons behind his wishes. Whatever his reply was wouldn't have sent me off on a tirade to beat him over the head with my superior opinion on the subject and force my point of view down his neck.....I was simply curious as to why, that's all.
A Place of Light
10-07-2010, 17:52
It's not always the case.... one forum (phpbb) I stopped using and removed all my details from locked me out but kept my account and they put back the info (from a backup I presume)
That shows a definite lack of respect and professionalism.
Not good. :(
Stan_Lite
11-07-2010, 04:54
Perhaps, but if you want to run a forum in that way then the second a question has been answered the moderators should lock the thread. The OP asked a question that made me wonder about the reasons behind his wishes. Whatever his reply was wouldn't have sent me off on a tirade to beat him over the head with my superior opinion on the subject and force my point of view down his neck.....I was simply curious as to why, that's all.
If it was simply idle curiosity then forget everything I said.
Seeing posts like the first one you made always puts me on the defensive. I've seen arguments many times in different forums along the same lines (one in particular springs to mind) where the following was the usual result.
sent me off on a tirade to beat him over the head with my superior opinion on the subject and force my point of view down his neck...
I've seen people belittled, ridiculed and berated for making the same request on other forums.
If it was idle curiosity on your part then my defensiveness was unwarranted.
If it was simply idle curiosity then forget everything I said.
I think we all know how unlikely it is that that is indeed the case ;)
Wow, this turned into a bit of a bun fight and I missed all the fun :D
He doesn't need a reason, but I assume he does have one and I was curious as to what it was.
I'm signed up on quite a few forums that I don't actually use and I'd rather just not have active accounts there. I don't like the security situation when I've forgotten where I'm signed up, passwords, occasional emails from the forums etc etc. And like I said, on one of them if I could easily just close it myself then it would be end of story no more said but the admin will make a song and dance about it because I don't get on with them in real life.
It's not the SPS lol.
A Place of Light
14-07-2010, 19:35
If it was simply idle curiosity then forget everything I said.
Seeing posts like the first one you made always puts me on the defensive. I\'ve seen arguments many times in different forums along the same lines (one in particular springs to mind) where the following was the usual result.
That\'s all it was, nothing more. Honest injun.
I\'ve seen people belittled, ridiculed and berated for making the same request on other forums.
If it was idle curiosity on your part then my defensiveness was unwarranted.
It\'s no biggy, really. You misread one of mine, I misread one of yours.....give it six months and we\'ll be showering together. All of this is simple words on a screen to me, nothing more. I\'m a fairly curious guy and, unless due to obvious reasons of respect/decency/privacy, I tend to be interested in the background behind a concise type of OP.
A Place of Light
14-07-2010, 19:36
I think we all know how unlikely it is that that is indeed the case ;)
Don\'t let being completely wrong get in the way of your opinion.....unless, of course, you know my motives better than I do.
What's with the \'s APoL?
A Place of Light
14-07-2010, 19:39
It\\\'s not the SPS lol.
TBH with you, matey, I only thought that after El posted it.....and even if it were it wouldn`t have put me into any kind of defensive/retaliatory posture, despite what others may have you believe.
A Place of Light
14-07-2010, 19:40
What\\\'s with the \\\\\\\'s APoL?
Interesting version?
The APoL HQ mainframe is being attacked.
Real version?
I have no idea, but I`m not typing them nor can I edit them out.
It's a browser bug. My guess, something to do with JavaScript processing and AJAX. You can avoid it by avoiding quick reply and inline edit, or by getting a better browser. :)
Blighter
15-07-2010, 00:11
Interesting version?
The APoL HQ mainframe is being attacked.
Real version?
I have no idea, but I`m not typing them nor can I edit them out.
What browser/proxy do you use?
vBulletin® v3.7.4, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.