Fact Checked by 
It turns out that cutting fact-checking teams can have serious consequences. That’s certainly the case for Meta, which is facing users leaving its platform after its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, opted to replace it with Community Notes, similar to those on X.
Zuckerberg labeled the fact-checkers as “politically biased”, with the idea that a crowdsourced fact-checking initiative across its platforms aiming to be more neutral. The tech bro also sparked controversy after telling the Joe Rogan podcast that the corporate world is “pretty culturally neutered.”
He added: “The masculine energy I think is good. And obviously society has plenty of that, but I think corporate culture is really trying to get away from it. All these forms of energy are good, and I think having a culture that celebrates the aggression a bit more has its own merits that are really positive.”
The boss of Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger has also ended the internal diversity policy in human resources, known in the US as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Consequently, the move has been interpreted as an effort to appease incoming President Donald Trump. Some have called for leaving the platforms as a result. Mastodon’s own CEO called the new fact-checking approach “deeply troubling.”
If you’re one of those people, here’s how to delete Facebook, Messenger, or Instagram from your life.
How to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger
How do I permanently delete my Facebook account?
To permanently delete your Facebook account, you can follow these steps:
To access your settings on Facebook, click your profile picture located in the top-right corner of the page. From the dropdown menu, select Settings & Privacy, and then click on Settings.
This is how you can delete Facebook and save all your memories. 😳👇 pic.twitter.com/0r0KHxAwIx
— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) January 12, 2025
Deleting your account using Accounts Center:
- If the Accounts Center is at the top left of your Settings menu, proceed through it to delete your account
- If the Accounts Center is at the bottom left, follow the instructions in the Facebook Settings instead
- Go to Accounts Ownership and Control in the Accounts Center
- Navigate to Personal Details under Account Settings
- Select Account Ownership and Control, then choose Deactivation or Deletion
- Pick the account or profile you wish to delete, select Delete Account, and follow the prompts to confirm.
Through Facebook Settings:
- Click Your Facebook Information in the Settings menu
- Select Deactivation and Deletion, then choose Delete Account
- Click Continue to Account Deletion, enter your password, and confirm by clicking Delete Account.
If you want to permanently delete your Facebook account using the iPhone app, it’s pretty straightforward. First, open the app and log in. On the Home page, tap the three-lined menu button in the bottom-right corner. Then, go to Settings & Privacy and tap Settings. From there, select Account Ownership and Control, followed by Deactivation and Deletion. Choose Delete Account, tap Continue to Account Deletion, and just follow the steps to wrap it up.
To deactivate your Facebook account using the Android app, log in to your account on the app. Similar to the iPhone, there is a three-lined menu button, but on Android, it is located in the top-right corner of the screen. Navigate to Settings & Privacy and select Settings. Then, tap Account Ownership and Control, followed by Deactivation and Deletion. Choose Deactivate Account, tap Continue to Account Deactivation, and follow the instructions to complete the process.
How do I delete my Instagram account permanently?
To delete your Instagram account, you can go directly to the Account Ownership and Control settings in the Accounts Center or follow these steps: Click the menu icon in the bottom left and select Settings. Then, go to the Accounts Center and click on Personal Details. From there, select Account Ownership and Control and navigate to Deactivation or Deletion. Choose the account you want to delete, click Delete Account, and then click Continue.
Once you start the deletion process, it can take up to 90 days to fully complete. Even after that, Instagram might keep copies of your content in backup storage. This is mainly for situations like recovering from disasters, software glitches, or data loss. They also mention that some of your information might be retained for things like handling legal matters, enforcing their terms, or addressing safety concerns.
How do I delete my Messenger account?
Facebook Messenger stores the same personal data as Facebook, and that information can stick around even after you deactivate your Facebook account. If your Messenger account is linked to Facebook, you’ll need to deactivate your Facebook account first before deactivating Messenger.
Delete your META Messenger NOW. pic.twitter.com/4WHD21EZ8B
— NeedACoffee (@NeedACoffeUSA) January 14, 2025
To deactivate Messenger on your iPhone or Android device, start by opening the app. Tap the menu icon, then go to Accounts Center. From there, head to Personal Details and select Account Ownership and Control. Next, tap Deactivation or Deletion, and choose Continue to Facebook Account Deactivation and Deletion. Follow the prompts by selecting Continue to Account Deactivation, entering your password, and tapping Continue to finish.
If that method doesn’t work, try this alternative: open Messenger and tap your profile picture in the Chats tab. Scroll down to Account Settings and select it. Navigate to Account Ownership and Control, then choose Deactivation and Deletion. Tap Continue to Facebook Account Deactivation and Deletion, select Continue to Account Deactivation, enter your password, and confirm by tapping Continue.
Users are not only to keen to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, they seemed to be turned off by its new AI feature as well. Here’s our guide to deactivating Meta AI if you’re planning to stay on the platforms.
Featured image: Canva
