Should European laws allow account deletion?

[CritFromAfar]

It seems kind of weird that this is allowed considering that it's not just Europeans who use this site. VPN's are a thing, too, so you can't even guarantee that the account is actually based in Europe to begin with. You would think that it would be contrary to being helpful if problems were to arise and someone were to break the law in other ways and suddenly the information is gone. So wouldn't it clash with laws from other countries?

[Freighter]

As far as I've understood it they can't decline to delete an account if an user from Europe requests deletion because it would be in violation of their laws to not delete it. This isn't something mmo-champion can do anything about, unless they want to violate the law in those countries.

[Temp name]

You can get your account deleted. Click the "contact us" button at the top and ask to get your account deleted, and there you go.

[DarkAmbient]

MMO Champion has no legal obligation under the terms of the GDPR to remove the personal data of users who are outside the EU. And even for those of us in the EU, MMO Champion has no obligation to delete our account - only our personal information as defined by the GDPR: https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

[Freighter]

MMO Champion has no legal obligation under the terms of the GDPR to remove the personal data of users who are outside the EU. And even for those of us in the EU, MMO Champion has no obligation to delete our account - only our personal information as defined by the GDPR: https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

Probably easier to purge the account and all posts than go through everything to delete personal information.

[CritFromAfar]

As far as I've understood it they can't decline to delete an account if an user from Europe requests deletion because it would be in violation of their laws to not delete it. This isn't something mmo-champion can do anything about, unless they want to violate the law in those countries.

I'm referring more to the fact that MMO-C deleted a bunch of European accounts because of the change in laws in Europe. As long as they logged into the account, it didn't get deleted.

[Freighter]

I'm referring more to the fact that MMO-C deleted a bunch of European accounts because of the change in laws in Europe. As long as they logged into the account, it didn't get deleted.

They didn't delete them, they just stripped them of identifying data, such as username. They are still available to recover if you've got access to the e-mails of them. It also wasn't due to change of laws in Europe, it was due to transferring ownership to another company. They needed to consent to it or the account would be stripped.

To recover an account: https://www.mmo-champion.com/accountRecovery.php

[CritFromAfar]

Yes. The site should follow the laws. Why would someone use a VPN to put their IP in Europe to connect to a US site?

Well, I agree with you, but I'm wondering if it could potentially clash with laws of other countries.

I don't know, but it happens. How do you think people can get banned and come back on a fresh account?

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They didn't delete them, they just stripped them of identifying data, such as username. They are still available to recover if you've got access to the e-mails of them.

Isn't that basically the same thing? As far as I know no site will permanently delete an account. It's always temporary if it's allowed at all.

[FlemmMinis]

I'm referring more to the fact that MMO-C deleted a bunch of European accounts because of the change in laws in Europe. As long as they logged into the account, it didn't get deleted.

What? When did this happen?

[CritFromAfar]

You can get your account deleted. Click the "contact us" button at the top and ask to get your account deleted, and there you go.

That's not what I'm asking.

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What? When did this happen?

Several months ago, I don't recall exactly when, but there was an announcement about it.

[Freighter]

Isn't that basically the same thing? As far as I know no site will permanently delete an account. It's always temporary if it's allowed at all.

No, there was a poster from Sweden that I talked to that had their account deleted. No posts of theirs are left on the forum at all, no threads they created. Nothing. Only trace is quotes or PMs.

The people who had their usernames stripped and so on, still have their posts and threads on the forum, it just doesn't show their name.

Those who had their usernames and so on stripped can recover the accounts by visiting: https://www.mmo-champion.com/accountRecovery.php

[CritFromAfar]

MMO Champion has no legal obligation under the terms of the GDPR to remove the personal data of users who are outside the EU. And even for those of us in the EU, MMO Champion has no obligation to delete our account - only our personal information as defined by the GDPR: https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

I would believe you if a bunch of usernames hadn't been removed right after. I'm not sure how a username is personal information. It's neither an opinion nor a way to personally identify someone.

[CritFromAfar]

No, there was a poster from Sweden that I talked to that had their account deleted. No posts of theirs are left on the forum at all, no threads they created. Nothing. Only trace is quotes or PMs.

The people who had their usernames stripped and so on, still have their posts and threads on the forum, it just doesn't show their name.

Those who had their usernames and so on stripped can recover the accounts by visiting: https://www.mmo-champion.com/accountRecovery.php

Wow. This is kind of what I'm opposed to, though. I don't believe this kind of information should be allowed to be removed. It may be following laws in one country, but it seems like it could have the potential to step on the toes of other laws in other countries at the same time. Removing information people put out on the internet seems like a bad idea to me.

[Jotaux]

Wow. This is kind of what I'm opposed to, though. I don't believe this kind of information should be allowed to be removed. It may be following laws in one country, but it seems like it could have the potential to step on the toes of other laws in other countries at the same time. Removing information people put out on the internet seems like a bad idea to me.

Which laws would it violate?

[CritFromAfar]

People get banned in the US and then connect to a European server instead of a US server which would accomplish the exact same thing, masking your IP. Sounds like some truly stupid people... If they're banned from the EU even more reason to connect to a US server. Of course, this is all based on an assumption you're making with no actual evidence. Unless you're admitting you got banned and the account I'm responding to is your burner...

No, it's not the same thing. If the data still exists in their database it's not deleted. It was just disconnected publicly.

What are you even talking about? I wasn't talking about someone specific.

Yeah, I don't think that helps any. If people put things out onto the internet they shouldn't be allowed to have it removed in any way. It's like having a conversation in public, and most people would understand to be tactful in public.

[CritFromAfar]

Which laws would it violate?

Criminal laws, like defamation or harassment. Hiding information like that makes the jobs of government officials harder.

Edit: And not would, could.

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Got it, you were pulling something out of your ass. Yeah, let me know when your public conversations echo for eternity. And if we were forced to keep everything online forever it would put an undue burden on those operating the servers. Sorry, but you're just being silly.

Pulling what out of my ass? You realize I'm not actually directly stating an opinion?

[Freighter]

Criminal laws, like defamation or harassment.

Lmao, as if mmo-champion isn't violating them already. A lot of people on this forum violates the defamation law in South Korea on a daily basis.

[DarkAmbient]

I would believe you if a bunch of usernames hadn't been removed right after. I'm not sure how a username is personal information. It's neither an opinion nor a way to personally identify someone.

What I wrote isn't a matter of belief, it's the law.

Now, a forum handle can be used to identify an individual when other information posted by that user is taken into account. I don't know who 'Weaksauce on Rice' is just going by the name here alone. But what if I googled it and found a Twitter account where you said where you work. And then found a post here that gave away your age and gender. Someone who knows you IRL could identify you from these separate bits of information.

[CritFromAfar]

Lmao, as if mmo-champion isn't violating them already. A lot of people on this forum violates the defamation law in South Korea on a daily basis.

Yeah, but how is anyone supposed to do anything about it if European laws support removal of information that people voluntarily put out publicly themselves? It doesn't make much sense to me.

[Lochton]

It seems kind of weird that this is allowed considering that it's not just Europeans who use this site. VPN's are a thing, too, so you can't even guarantee that the account is actually based in Europe to begin with. You would think that it would be contrary to being helpful if problems were to arise and someone were to break the law in other ways and suddenly the information is gone. So wouldn't it clash with laws from other countries?

Doesn't really matter. Just take contact using the correct method ('Contact us' button) and they can delete your account pr. request.