[Feature] Account deletion

Bugs & Features
#1

I need to have a way to let users delete their accounts. How should that work really?

First, some basic behavior of account deletion:

  • it sets the user as deleted, and clears any identifying data such as username, email, and login credentials stored with that user.
  • created content, such as characters, rooms, areas, etc. will not be deleted with the account. It may, however, be pruned later on. But we don’t want a popular area suddenly disappearing because its owner got angry and toaded themselves.

Now. Questions:

  • Deletion safety - How to ensure safe deletion, guarded against someone quickly accessing your computer to delete your account? The method should work for both username/password logins as well as OpenID (Google) logins. Maybe require a validated email to send a confirmation mail to?
  • Delayed deletion - Should the deletion be made with a grace time period of a couple of days during which the deletion can be recalled? This is both to give time for angry emotions to calm down, as well as for recovering from someone’s illicit attempt to delete your account (Deletion safety)

Any other thoughts on account deletion?

#2

Just checked SnapChat account deletion as a reference. Seems like they have a 30 day “grace period”. And requires email confirmation.

#3

Delayed deletion is a good idea. People are impulsive and might change their minds.

As far as the non-deletion of created content…if I recall, Tapestries has had one or two instances where people have deleted and demanded that their info be deleted immediately (whether character or public place) because they were the copyright holders of that written content. Maybe an update to the ToS would be appropriate, so people know that if they make a public (on-grid) place, it will remain upon their account deletion.

#4

I agree. But we might already have it. The ToS, under “Rights you grant us”, currently states:

Our Service allows you to create, send, receive, upload, and store information; also called “content”. When you do that, you retain whatever ownership right in that content you had to begin with. But you grant us the right to use that content for the purpose it was provided, even if you decide to stop using the Service or delete your account.

(My bold) What I tried to guard against is exactly what you mentioned. But I also want to make it clear that I don’t have the right to use someone’s content for anything else. I mean, I cannot take someone’s character image and use it as part of an ad-banner for the game.

#5

One thing to add would be to suggest that created content, especially rooms and areas, have their ownership automatically transferred to either a generic admin account/role or to you @Accipiter so that they can be dealt with later on a case-by-case basis. Maybe have non-attach spaces pruned after a certain window of time and connected spaces distributed to whomever administration sees best to maintain (for instance, if I were to allow someone to build a room off of the Prism’s main area, or even just apartments as they are, and that person deletes their account, ownership of the room would fall to myself after the grace period.)