-13

According to the delete-account help, users are required to put the text "please delete me" in their profile's "about me" text. But a suspended user can not edit their profile, so they are unable to follow the required process.

Often enough, a suspended user feels so vengeful that they have a burning desire to rage quit by deleting their account, but alas they can not while suspended.

It would be good to support such users to fulfil their desires by providing a rage quit link that appears only for suspended users:

rage quit

By the way, there is some basis for this question. I had a request for "how to delete my account" from a recently-suspended user.

Improve this question
11
  • 4
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_suicide
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:21
  • Oh come on... I really thought this was funny!
    – Bohemian Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:21
  • 8
    Not sure if trolling.
    – michaelb958--GoFundMonica
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:22
  • @michaelb958: Well it is true that suspended users are unable to edit their profiles.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:22
  • 1
    You're about 2 weeks late with a post like this. #antijokechicken
    – Adam Lear StaffMod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:23
  • 3
    We don't want to allow the suspended user any form of satisfaction. Otherwise why would we vengefully suspend people in the first place?
    – JonW
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:24
  • 1
    @michaelb958 I had a question from a suspended users wanting to know how he could delete his account, and I thought of this.
    – Bohemian Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:33
  • 4
    @Bohemian I think this might be better received if you didn't call it rage-quit as this just sounds like a joke and not a real feature request.
    – Taryn Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:34
  • @bluefeet Indeed, for a true rage quit button it should really add swearing to all their posts, post a rant on meta and start calling all moderators neckbeards
    – Richard Tingle
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:35
  • @bluefeet It is a joke. For the occasional real need, a message to a moderator does the job already.
    – Bohemian Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 12:46
  • 4
    It's now possible for suspended users to request deletion of their accounts, as it's all automated now: How can I delete my account?
    – Sonic the Anonymous Hedgehog
    Commented May 14, 2019 at 10:44

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
11

The reason for this requirement is to ensure that the person requesting the deletion is actually the owner of the account. Since logged in suspended users can write replies to moderator messages (no one but them and moderators can), they can provide this bit of proof there, by simply writing the text in a reply.

The chances of someone actually seeing that on Stack Overflow aren't that great, so they should follow up with us via the contact form. Just make sure to indicate that you've put the 'delete me' text in a reply to the mod message you received upon your suspension.

However, be careful - we might inform you that we'll proceed with your deletion, but you might not be welcome to return to the site if you don't wait out your suspension. It depends on the circumstances.

Improve this answer
2
  • By the way, there is some basis for this question. I had a request for "how to delete my account" from a recently-suspended user.
    – Bohemian Mod
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:31
  • 3
    Just send those folks to /contact - it's a pretty regular thing we get. Most of the time our reply is going to be "Okay, we'll do it, but you won't be welcome back for a period of time - just keep that in mind."
    – user50049
    Commented Apr 15, 2014 at 11:42

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .