How can I completely remove my data from social media?

Any social media enables you to delete your profile. However, that does not automatically mean that all your data is deleted (right away).

Deactivating or deleting your profile

Some social media give you the option of deactivating your profile. If you decide to log in again within a certain period of time, your profile is reactivated. In the meantime, your profile is not visible to other people, but still exists and your data is still being used for it. If you don't log in again, your data will then be permanently deleted after a certain period of time, such as 30 days.

Longer data retention

Some social media platforms give you the option of deleting your profile immediately, without deactivating it first. However, the company may retain certain data for longer periods. Sometimes, such retention is required by law, such as to keep information about your purchases or to handle a complaint. It might also be the case that the data is needed for an investigation or a court case. The company may also retain data to prevent someone who previously violated the rules from creating a new profile.

What you can do

• Do you want to know exactly which of your data is and is not being retained, and for how long? You can find out by reading the privacy statement on the company's website. This statement should also tell you how to contact the company if you have any questions.
• Do you want to know which of your personal data the company (still) retains? You can send them a request for access. You can also ask them to delete your data. This is also possible if you still have a profile but no longer have access to it.
• You might not get a response from the company or be unsatisfied with their response. In that case, you can file a complaint with the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP).

Using your data to train AI
Are you considering deleting your social media profile because you do not want your (public) data to be used to train AI? You can then delete your profile or file an objection. It is best to do this before the company starts training AI. You always maintain the right to object, such as on Facebook or Instagram. But once your data is in an AI model, it is hard to get it out.

Your data on someone else's profile
Say you have decided to delete your profile. Then bear in mind that some of your data may still be on someone else's profile. If the person has set his or her profile to 'public' or does not object, this data may still be used to train AI. You can ask the owner of the profile to delete your data. In situations like this, you can also object to the company directly, such as to Meta (the company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp). 

Running into issues? In that case, you can file a complaint with the AP.