When a Facebook user deletes their account, any Facebook pages they owned or administered will also be deleted. This is an important point for both page owners and fans to understand.
What exactly gets deleted when a page owner’s account is deleted?
Here’s what happens when a Facebook page owner deletes their personal account:
- The page itself will be completely removed from Facebook and will no longer be viewable or searchable.
- All content ever posted to that page will be permanently deleted. This includes posts, photos, videos, events, and any other information on the page.
- The page’s followers will not be notified or given any explanation that the page has been deleted. However, they will notice the page disappearing from their list of likes.
- Page analytics and insights will all be erased. The page owner will lose access to any metrics about their page’s followers, engagement, reach, etc.
- Any Facebook events created through the page will be cancelled and deleted.
- No backups are kept of the deleted page or its content. Everything is permanently removed from Facebook’s servers.
In summary, the entire page along with all its content and history will vanish from Facebook without notice when a page owner deletes their account.
What if a page has multiple administrators?
If a Facebook page has multiple administrators or editors, deleting the account of one owner will not delete the page itself. However, the person who deleted their account will lose administrator access and the ability to post from the page. The other administrators will remain in place.
So having multiple page admins provides an important safeguard. If the original creator deletes their account, the page can go on under the management of the other administrators.
What happens to unpaid page likes when a page is deleted?
When a Facebook page is deleted, any unpaid “likes” it had acquired will be permanently removed along with the page. Paid likes acquired through Facebook advertising will be refunded back to the page owner:
- Unpaid or organic page likes are deleted and can’t be recovered.
- Paid page likes are credited back to the page owner’s advertising account.
Page owners will lose all the followers gained through organic reach or viral sharing. But any money spent on advertising to build up likes will be refunded if the page is deleted.
Can a deleted page be recovered?
Unfortunately, no. Once a Facebook page is deleted along with the owner’s account, there is no way to recover or reinstate it. The page and all its content are permanently erased from Facebook’s servers.
Page owners should be certain before deleting their account, as it cannot be undone. Some alternatives to deleting a page include:
- Transferring the page to another administrator
- Turning the page into a memorialized account
- Simply leaving the page dormant without deleting
But deleted pages and accounts cannot be restored. Facebook does not keep backups or archives of deleted pages.
Does Facebook send any notifications when a page is deleted?
Facebook will not notify a page’s followers or send any messages when that page gets deleted. The page will simply disappear without explanation.
Followers may get suspicious if they notice the page missing from their likes. But Facebook provides no direct notice that a page has been removed.
The page creator may choose to announce their departure and page deletion. But Facebook itself does not alert users, even those who actively engaged with the page.
What should fans do if a page they followed gets deleted?
If you notice one of your favorite Facebook pages has disappeared, here are some steps to take:
- Search thoroughly to confirm the page is gone. It may have just changed its name.
- Check if the page owner maintains any other social media accounts that explain the deletion.
- Ask around – see if other fans know why the page vanished.
- If it was truly deleted, un-like the page to remove it from your list.
- Consider finding and following similar pages to replace the content you lost.
Don’t hold out hope for a deleted page to return. Assume it’s gone for good and move on when a page you followed gets removed from Facebook.
Can you tell if a page was deleted versus memorialized?
When someone passes away, their personal Facebook account can be memorialized instead of deleted. Memorialized accounts are a good option for individual profiles.
But memorializing is not an option for Facebook pages. Pages can only be deleted, not memorialized, when their owner passes away. Fans will see the page disappear just as if the owner deleted it themselves.
So while deceased users may have memorialized profiles, any pages they operated will still get deleted. There is no memorialization option for Facebook pages, only deletion.
What legal rights do page owners have when deleting a page?
Facebook page owners have full legal rights to delete their page at any time for any reason. According to Facebook’s terms of service, page creators retain copyright ownership and control over their content.
Followers do not obtain any legal ownership or rights to the content posted to a Facebook page. So deleting a page does not violate the rights of the followers in any way.
However, if page content infringed on someone else’s copyright, such as using their images, the original content owner may have grounds to sue. But otherwise, page owners can delete their pages without legal repercussions.
Are there any exceptions where a deleted page may be restored?
In most cases, a deleted Facebook page is gone permanently. However, there are a couple rare scenarios where a deleted page could potentially be reinstated:
- Legal investigations – If law enforcement requests data from a deleted page for an investigation, Facebook may be able to restore content.
- Court orders – A judge could order Facebook to reinstate a deleted page if relevant to a legal case.
- Data error – If a page was deleted due to a platform bug or glitch, Facebook may be able to recover it.
Outside of exceptional cases like these, regular Facebook pages cannot be recovered once deleted. Page owners should assume deletion is permanent.
Can you create a new page with the same name after deleting?
It is possible to create a brand new Facebook page using the same name as a deleted page. Facebook does not prohibit reused page names, even from the same owner.
However, the new page will not retain any of the old page’s followers, content, or history. It will essentially be a fresh start.
Facebook may treat a new page with a deleted page’s name as suspicious at first. The new page would have to build up its own reputation and following separate from the old deleted page.
Conclusion
In summary, when a Facebook page owner deletes their account, the page and all its content vanish permanently without notice to followers. The page cannot be recovered or memorialized, though page likes may be refunded.
Fans who notice a disappearing page should move on after confirming the deletion. And page owners should be certain before deleting their account, as it means the end of their page and any content ever posted on it.
With no option to download or memorialize pages, deletion results in total erasure. That’s an important fact for any Facebook page owner or fan to understand.
| Scenario | What Gets Deleted |
|---|---|
| Page owner deletes account | The page and all its content |
| Page has multiple admins | Only the owner who deleted their account loses access |
| Page has paid likes | Likes are refunded to the page owner |
| Page has unpaid organic likes | All unpaid likes are deleted |
| Can a deleted page be recovered? | No, deletion is permanent |
| Does Facebook notify followers? | No notifications are sent |
What should fans of a deleted page do?
Here are some tips for fans when a Facebook page they followed gets deleted:
- Confirm the page is really gone – it may have just changed names
- Check other social media accounts of the page owner for information
- Ask other fans of the page if they know what happened
- Unlike the page to remove it from your Facebook likes
- Find replacement pages with similar content to follow
Assume that the page is gone for good. There is unfortunately no way to recover or download content from a deleted Facebook page.
Why do Facebook pages get deleted?
Here are some of the common reasons Facebook page owners decide to delete their pages:
- Closing down the business or organization
- Merging page with new brand or company page
- Desire for greater privacy and less online presence
- Too much maintenance and upkeep required for the page
- Harassment, privacy violations, or other issues from followers
- Deletion of the page owner’s personal Facebook account
In most cases, page deletion is a voluntary decision by the owner. But it can also occur automatically if the page creator deletes their own Facebook account.
Alternatives to deleting a Facebook page
Instead of deleting a page, owners may want to consider these other options:
- Turn the page into a memorialized account
- Transfer ownership of the page to someone else
- Simply stop posting but leave the page active
- Temporarily deactivate the page instead of deleting
These allow page content to remain available for fans to see. Page deletion should be a last resort if ownership cannot be transferred.
Steps for Facebook page owners before deleting
Before deleting their page, owners should take these steps:
- Download any important data and analytics about the page
- Notify fans and followers that the page will be deleted
- Remove any personal or private information from the page
- Transfer ownership to another administrator if possible
- Confirm there is no legal or compliance-related reason to retain the page
Once confirmed, page owners can delete their account and the page will be permanently removed by Facebook.
Facebook’s policies around page deletion
Here are some key points from Facebook’s policies around deleting pages:
- Page owners can delete a page for any reason at any time.
- All content from a deleted page is permanently removed from Facebook’s servers.
- Facebook does not provide backups or archives of deleted pages.
- Pages removed for policy violations may be retained for a short period.
- Memorialization is not an option for pages, only for individual profiles.
- Court orders may compel Facebook to reinstate a deleted page in rare cases.
So in general, according to its own policies, Facebook provides no recovery options for deleted pages. Page owners should assume deletion is absolute.
Legal considerations around deleting Facebook pages
Page owners should keep these legal considerations in mind:
- Copyright laws still apply to any content previously posted to the page.
- Deleted content could still be subject to subpoena or court order.
- Defamation and libel laws apply to any false statements made on the page previously.
- Pages for regulated businesses like financial advisors may have retention requirements.
While a page is deleted from public view, owners still retain legal responsibilities for past content. Relevant laws and regulations still apply.
Mistakenly deleted Facebook pages
If a page was deleted by mistake, here are some tips:
- See if the page can be recovered through account security options.
- Contact Facebook support right away explaining it was accidental.
- See if any other admins still have access to reinstate it.
- Ask followers to report the page was deleted by mistake.
Unfortunately, most deleted Facebook pages cannot be recovered. But for cases of clear mistakes, it’s worth immediately contacting Facebook before the page and its data is fully purged from their systems.
Managing Facebook pages after owner’s death
When a page owner passes away, here’s how their Facebook page can be managed:
- Transfer ownership to an authorized representative or executor.
- Have an existing admin memorialize the page and post commemorations.
- Delete the page if required by the estate or will.
- Leave the page active as-is as a legacy of the deceased.
Unlike personal profiles, memorialization is not an option for Facebook pages themselves. The page must either be deleted, transferred to someone else, or remain active under current management.
Conclusion
Facebook page deletion is permanent. When an owner deletes their account, any pages they managed also get deleted without notice or possibility of recovery.
Page owners should be careful before deleting and download any data they may need. Fans who find their favorite pages gone should move on and find alternatives.
While memorialization works for individual profiles, pages can only either be passed on to new owners or be permanently erased. As more pages accumulate followers over time, owners should be aware of the impacts of deleting them.