Do you delete old web accounts?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    Do you delete old web accounts?

    I've been using LastPass for over a year now to help me with all the websites I access either frequently or infrequently. I was surprised to see just how many different accounts I have.

    There was one site where I created an account to try out a mapping application, but after trying it, I decided it wasn't for me. I had to email the site administrator, yadda, yadda, yadda and after a couple days, my account was deleted. They were nice but about it but the process wasn't efficient. Although LastPass does a good job of scrambling passwords, I'm less and less confident that a website will keep my information secure.

    Now I'm going through all my sites and seeing what can stay/go and contacting them to delete my account. Do you do the same?
  • tfischer
    Veteran Member
    • Jul 2003
    • 2343
    • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
    • BT3100

    #2
    I always find it funny on my birthday, how many websites wish me a happy one. Lots of forum software does this automagically, and it really emphasizes how many accounts I have out there

    Comment

    • LCHIEN
      Internet Fact Checker
      • Dec 2002
      • 20920
      • Katy, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 vintage 1999

      #3
      No.
      It appears I have about 200 accounts.
      Most of them like forums and stuff don't have any info that would be very compromising.
      I never let any sites save my credit cards except those on autopay... just a few.
      Loring in Katy, TX USA
      If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
      BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

      Comment

      • Carlos
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2004
        • 1893
        • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

        #4
        Not as a concerted effort, but I have removed a few for a variety of reasons. When Patreon went full retard on promoting so-called Net Neutrality (an awful thing for the consumer), and a bunch of anti-Trump messages (hate the guy, but still don't want the politics from them), I removed my account. Removed accounts from few places that just seemed sketchy also.

        Throughout my industry, we're just coming to grips with the fact that we need to start figuring out how to remove old data of many types. Accounts, personal info, stored data. The world's data stores are growing in some good ways, and in some wasteful ways. And there has been little thought given to the idea of someone born in the 2000s ending up with many hundreds or even thousands of site accounts by the time they retire. This is complicated by the fact that we have conflicting laws globally, and even in the US, about data retention versus data removal. Two weeks ago I had a client come to me with the problem that they were mistakenly sent very sensitive health data, and the sender wanted it scrubbed from all servers and backups. Problem is, HIPAA itself requires six years of data retention and tracking. But other laws require removal of incorrectly received data. Sorry, this isn't a tech issue, call the lawyers, I'm out.

        Overall, I think it's too much for end users to deal with and the threat from lingering old accounts is probably very low. I do re-use a common password for all "whatever" accounts like forums. If you crack my forum password, so what? Meanwhile banks and shopping sites get more secure and variable passwords. So if a "whatever" site loses my info and someone is able to log in as me to other such sites, who cares?

        Comment

        • Carlos
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2004
          • 1893
          • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

          #5
          1Password says I have 1703 stored logins, but many of those are internal systems for my own company and at customer sites. No idea how many are personal and not business.

          Comment

          • LCHIEN
            Internet Fact Checker
            • Dec 2002
            • 20920
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #6
            Example, Sawdustzone:
            Topics: 59,532 Posts: 542,664 Members: 19,538 Active Members: 81

            I don't know what the criteria is for acttive but I imagine its time based - e.g. signed on in the last month or so.

            I can't recall anytime but maybe once that a member wanted his login removed and account deleted.
            Loring in Katy, TX USA
            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

            Comment

            Working...