I have recently seen many users, including "redlined", "locutus", "dlkreations", whose profiles are gone. Only their posts remained.
Do I have to expect that my account will be deleted automatically after prolonged inactivity? And after how long?
How long are inactive accounts kept?
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Re: How long are inactive accounts kept?
Yes, previously active accounts which go dormant will be deleted after 3 years of not being used. Usually, if you want to, you can re-register the same username if this happens.
Re: How long are inactive accounts kept?
I see. And for what reason are inactive accounts deleted? I can't think of another forum that does it.
Re: How long are inactive accounts kept?
To comply with data protection law. User data may not be kept once it’s no longer needed for its original purpose. At some point after an account becomes inactive, when is there no longer a lawful basis to keep the data? You can debate the time frame, but three years allows the user at least until the next major release plus one additional year to start using the forums again. It would be nice to have a feature that informs users about upcoming account expiry, but the forum software (phpBB) currently lacks this functionality.
To clarify, accounts may also be deleted at the user's request. This happens with some frequency.
I can't speak for how other forums interpret the law.
To clarify, accounts may also be deleted at the user's request. This happens with some frequency.
I can't speak for how other forums interpret the law.
- Hagar Delest
- Level 3
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2024 10:07 am
- Location: France
Re: How long are inactive accounts kept?
First time I see such interpretation of the law.
At the OpenOffice forum, we have users who come back sometimes several years after being inactive. They would definitively complain if they could not get hold of their previous posts.
Do you have some evidence showing this need? Just to make sure that we don't miss something (we would be quite a lot in this case however).
At the OpenOffice forum, we have users who come back sometimes several years after being inactive. They would definitively complain if they could not get hold of their previous posts.
Do you have some evidence showing this need? Just to make sure that we don't miss something (we would be quite a lot in this case however).
LMDE Faye
Re: How long are inactive accounts kept?
To clarify, also on this forum users can come back several years after being inactive.
If you're involved with the OpenOffice forum, which I assume is based in the USA, and want to ensure that the forum complies with the GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), applicable to its users from the European Union, I recommend discussing this with your organization's data protection officer. The GDPR does not provide a lawful basis for retaining inactive accounts indefinitely. Article 5(1)(e) is particularly relevant. If there is no lawful basis for retaining user data, the data must be deleted. The GDPR does not specify the criteria for when inactive accounts should be deleted; it is the responsibility of your organization to define these criteria.
For the Linux Mint forums, which is based in the European Union thus the GDPR applies to all its users, inactive accounts with posts are deleted 3 years after the last visit.
If you're involved with the OpenOffice forum, which I assume is based in the USA, and want to ensure that the forum complies with the GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), applicable to its users from the European Union, I recommend discussing this with your organization's data protection officer. The GDPR does not provide a lawful basis for retaining inactive accounts indefinitely. Article 5(1)(e) is particularly relevant. If there is no lawful basis for retaining user data, the data must be deleted. The GDPR does not specify the criteria for when inactive accounts should be deleted; it is the responsibility of your organization to define these criteria.
For the Linux Mint forums, which is based in the European Union thus the GDPR applies to all its users, inactive accounts with posts are deleted 3 years after the last visit.