Will Facebook delete locked accounts?

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users as of 2022. With so many users, it’s inevitable that some accounts will be locked or disabled for violating Facebook’s terms of service.

There are a few common reasons why a Facebook account may get locked:

• The user has violated Facebook’s Community Standards policies
• Suspicious or unauthorized login attempts
• Spam or fake account activity
• Underage users with accounts

When an account is locked, the user is unable to access their profile or use any Facebook services. A notice will be displayed explaining why the account was locked.

Does Facebook delete locked accounts?

Facebook does not immediately delete locked accounts. However, if the violation or issue is not resolved after a certain time period, Facebook may permanently disable the account.

Here are the key things to know about locked accounts on Facebook:

• Accounts are usually locked temporarily for the first violation. Users can request a review or appeal the decision within Facebook’s designated time frame, which is typically 24 hours to a few days.
• If the issue is resolved on appeal, Facebook will unlock the account and restore access.
• For severe or repeated violations, accounts may be disabled for set periods of time such as 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, 6 months, or 2 years.
• Permanently disabled accounts are only deleted after the set disable time period passes. This is typically 14 days to 30 days if the account is not restored.

So in summary, Facebook does eventually delete accounts that are permanently disabled, but this is after an extended period of being inaccessible to the user.

How long before Facebook deletes a locked account?

The amount of time before Facebook deletes a locked account depends on the nature and severity of the violation. Here are some general timelines:

• Minor violations like an inappropriate post or fake name: 30 days
• Multiple Community Standards violations: 14 days
• Fake or spam account: 24 hours
• Hate speech, bullying, harassment: 14 days
• Terrorism, child exploitation, sex crimes: Account deleted immediately

For accounts that are temporarily disabled, Facebook’s support page states the following guidelines:

• 24 hour disable: Deleted after 30 days if not restored
• 7 day disable: Deleted after 14 days if not restored
• 30 day disable: Deleted after 14 days if not restored
• 6 month disable: Deleted after 30 days if not restored
• 2 year disable: Deleted after 30 days if not restored

So in most cases of temporary disables, the account will be up for deletion within 14-30 days after the temporary disable period expires.

What happens when Facebook deletes an account?

Here’s what happens when a Facebook account is permanently deleted:

• The user profile, photos, posts, videos, and all other account content is removed
• The account can no longer be accessed or restored
• The username/handle becomes available to be registered by another user
• Third-party apps lose access to the account
• The user’s contacts, followers, and groups will no longer see that user or account on Facebook

Essentially, it is as if the account never existed. All personal information, connections, and activities on the platform will be erased.

However, according to Facebook, some data may still be retained in backup systems for an “extended period” for legal and safety purposes before being deleted.

How to restore a locked Facebook account

If your Facebook account gets locked, here are some steps you can take to try to restore access:

1. Login to the locked account and look for an alert message or email from Facebook explaining why it was locked
2. Request a review within the timeframe provided, usually 24 hours up to a few days
3. Provide valid ID when prompted to prove account ownership
4. Correct any issues that led to the violation, such as changing the name on a fake account to a real one
5. Remove any inappropriate posts, spam, or fake followers
6. Strengthen account security measures like two-factor authentication
7. Avoid further Community Standards violations once the account is restored

If the appeals process is unsuccessful after multiple tries, unfortunately the account is likely to be permanently disabled based on the severity of violations.

Can you recover a deleted Facebook account?

It is very unlikely that a deleted Facebook account can be recovered. Once the deletion goes through, the account is removed from Facebook’s systems and servers. Here are some key points on deleted account recovery:

• Facebook does not have an official process to recover or restore deleted accounts
• Accounts can only be restored within the designated appeal window before permanent deletion
• You cannot retrieve the original profile URL, followers or connections
• It may be possible to create a new account with the same name, if available
• Any backups or downloaded data may still be available outside of Facebook

So while there is no direct method to retrieve a deleted Facebook account, the best option is to appeal early in the disable period before the window for account recovery expires.

How to delete your Facebook account permanently

If you wish to permanently delete your Facebook account, here are the steps:

1. Login and go to Settings
2. Click on the “Your Facebook Information” option in the left menu
3. Select “Deactivation and Deletion”
4. Choose “Permanently Delete Account” and click “Continue”
5. Select “Delete Account” to confirm
6. Enter your password to complete account deletion

Some key pointers for permanent Facebook account deletion:

• Your account will initially be deactivated for 30 days before permanent deletion
• You can log back in within 30 days to cancel deletion if desired
• Facebook suggests downloading your data for any records you want to retain
• Your Facebook Messenger account will also be deleted
• You can repeat the steps above again if you don’t regain access within 30 days

Conclusion

In summary, Facebook does eventually delete accounts that are repeatedly or severely in violation of policies. However, there is a window of approximately 14-30 days to restore an account after it is locked or disabled before it is permanently erased. If your account gets locked, take action quickly to appeal and resolve any issues to try and recover it. But once deleted, it is extremely difficult to retrieve.