Deleted Facebook Posts Are Zombies

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Some Facebook users who have been on since they were younger and much less discreet are trying to remedy their sometimes ill-advised posts, especially pictures. Who wants a potential employer to read the drunken ramblings of a frat boy gone wild or a spurned girlfriend looking for revenge against the guy who did her wrong?

Many users who are real-world bound — or those who regret a lapse in judgment or privacy — often start deleting old posts and pictures, following the protocol as set forth by Facebook. Aren’t they surprised when those posts reappear like zombies that won’t die?

Take Heed

Back in the summer, Digital Trends blogged about this after several had complained about their deleted posts reappearing no matter how many times the content was deleted. DT cited Facebook’s Terms and Conditions in explaining why the deleted content kept getting restored, often at the front of the news feed:

“When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer,” the Terms and Conditions page states. “However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others).”

So even if you’ve deleted it, the content is still there. It only goes away if it’s permanently deleted. Again, anything once posted is never actually deleted it seems. Deleting it just stores it on a backup drive. In truth, true deletion occurs only if you delete your account and never try to access it again.

Takeaway Truth

A good rule to follow for the young and the not-so-young? Never post anything you wouldn’t want your parents — or your children — to see on the front page of the local newspaper.