If you want to quit Facebook, you have two options. You can deactivate your account, which is supposed to remove it from the view of other Facebook users, while preserving your information should you elect to reactivate our account in the future. A second option is to permanently delete your account. If you do this you will not be allowed to create a new account with the same email address or the same information previously used. So, be careful about permanent deletion as there is no going back.
To deactivate, try the following:
Log into your account, and let your friends know that you will no longer be on Facebook so that they do not try to contact you via Facebook and so that they have a chance to collect any information off your page, such as your contact information.
Go to the “Account” section. If you can’t find it, just type “Deactivate Account” into the search bar at the top of the page, in the right hand corner of the page. From the account section, just click the link to deactivate your account and confirm that you do in fact want to deactivate your account. Your profile and all information associated with it are immediately made inaccessible to other users. If at any point you want to reactivate, your friends, photos and the like will be intact.
For permanent deletion:
If you won’t use Facebook again and would like your account deleted, you have to submit a request to Facebook to have it deleted. It is not as simple as clicking a link. This is in place because they want people to seriously consider permanent deletion as account recovery is impossible once the account is gone.
So, to submit a request for permanent deletion, copy and paste the address below into the address bar:
http://www.new.facebook.com/help.php?hq=permanently+deleting+account
Click the link that reads “I want to permanently delete my account”. It should be the first link under Security.
Once you click on this, the box expands and explains permanent deletion and gives you the option of deactivation. If you choose to continue, fill out the form and click the link to submit your request.
If you are not interested in submitting a form, a quick and dirty way to get your account permanently deleted is to break all of the rules. Delete all of your information, friends, photos and postings. Then send friend requests to a bunch of random people. Post inappropriate comments and post inappropriate messages on other people’s wall. Your account will disappear.
