Inactive Members - Revision history

RevampBot: Wiki revamp: restructure & modernise

2026-07-17T12:00:00Z

Wiki revamp: restructure & modernise

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:00, 17 July 2026
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	We have thousands of members who post after gaps of ~~multiple~~ years, so we ~~don’t~~ delete inactive accounts automatically.		We have thousands of members who post again after gaps of several years, so we don't delete inactive accounts automatically.

	There is no explicit requirement to delete inactive users, but we ~~are~~ only supposed to keep data ~~that~~ we have a good reason to keep~~. So that~~ might create an implicit requirement to delete ~~inactive users~~. Some other sites do delete inactive accounts, e.g. after a year. Twitter had some publicity because ~~they were~~ deleting inactive accounts, ~~and~~ some of ~~them were~~ people who had died~~, and~~ some people objected ~~to that~~ because they wanted the accounts to continue as a kind of memorial.		There's no explicit requirement to delete inactive users, but we're only supposed to keep data we have good reason to keep - which might create an implicit requirement to delete them. Some other sites do delete inactive accounts, e.g. after a year. Twitter had some publicity because it was deleting inactive accounts, some of which belonged to people who had died; some people objected because they wanted the accounts to continue as a kind of memorial.

	We currently delete the personal data ~~for~~ inactive users:		We currently delete the personal data of inactive users who:
	*added at least six months ago		*were added at least six months ago
	*not on any ~~groups~~		*are not on any communities
	*not logged in for six months		*have not logged in for six months
	*not on the spammer list		*are not on the spammer list
	*~~do not~~ have mod notes		*have no mod notes
	*no logs for six months		*have no logs for six months

	This wasn't implemented~~, however,~~ for users who were still on communities in the first wave of GDPR because:		This wasn't implemented for users who were still on communities in the first wave of GDPR, because:
	* concerns about volunteers reacting badly to ~~“the system”~~ removing ~~“their”~~ users, and		*of concerns about volunteers reacting badly to "the system" removing "their" users, and
	* ~~it’s~~ hard to do this ~~and retain~~ statistical information ~~which~~ we need~~. We would~~ have to ~~have “ghost”~~ deleted users ~~still~~ on the ~~groups~~, which would confuse people.		*it's hard to do this while retaining the statistical information we need - we'd have to keep "ghost" deleted users on the communities, which would confuse people.
	~~These are practical reasons but they might not be good reasons. We know that some people come back after long gaps, which is a potentially good reason~~.

			These are practical reasons, but they might not be good reasons. We know some people come back after long gaps, which is potentially a good reason to keep accounts.

	One of the main reasons for the six month 'cut off' is ~~for~~ spam reputation.~~<br>~~		==Why six months?==
	~~The main email~~ providers spot when you send to old inactive mailboxes, or send ~~mails~~ that people don't read or engage with~~. If~~ you do that, they judge ~~that~~ you~~'re~~ more likely to be a spammer ~~whose~~ grabbed a list of ~~emails~~ from somewhere.~~<br>~~		One of the main reasons for the six-month cut-off is spam reputation. Email providers spot when you send to old, inactive mailboxes, or send mail that people don't read or engage with - if you do that, they judge you more likely to be a spammer who's grabbed a list of email addresses from somewhere. Then they mark your mail as spam more often, which is bad for everyone.
	Then they mark your ~~mails~~ as spam more often, which is bad for everyone~~.<br>~~
	~~Regularly sending emails for six months is longer than many of them recommend - three months would be better. But we think that's too short for Freegle.<br>~~
	~~So that's why we ask people to visit the site from time to time and stop sending mails if they don't~~.

			Sending emails for six months of inactivity is longer than many providers recommend - three months would be safer, but we think that's too short for Freegle. That's why we ask people to visit the site from time to time, and stop sending mail if they don't.

	In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, ~~as this subject was raised~~ on Development Group.		==How long do people really come back after?==
			In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, prompted by a discussion on the Development Group.

	*The ~~recordholder is someone who~~ posted again after a gap of about 9 years~~. But~~ that was someone in Norfolk, ~~which is~~ a special case because they ~~might~~ have ~~woken up~~ when we moved platform.		*The record holder posted again after a gap of about nine years - but that was someone in Norfolk, a special case because they may have been prompted to return when we moved platform.
	*Ignoring Norfolk, ~~there’s~~ someone in Brighton who was quite active in January 2016, ~~and~~ then went ~~completely~~ quiet until August 2021, when they ~~become quite~~ active again.		*Ignoring Norfolk, there's someone in Brighton who was quite active in January 2016, then went quiet until August 2021, when they became active again - a gap of five and a half years.
			*Around 7,000 users have posted again after a gap of three years.

	~~So that’s five and a half years. We have around 7~~,~~000 users who have posted again with a gap of three years~~.		Given this, it didn't seem right to start automatically deleting inactive accounts that are still on communities - though volunteers can manually do this if they choose.

	~~Given this, it seemed not a good thing to start automatically deleting inactive accounts which are still on communities. But of course, volunteers can manually do this if they choose.~~		==Links==


	Links:
	*[[ModTools]]		*[[ModTools]]
	*[[Housekeeping]]		*[[Housekeeping]]

	[[~~category~~:ModTools~~]] [[category:Housekeeping~~]]		[[Category:Moderating with ModTools]]

Jacky at 18:21, 24 March 2023

2023-03-24T18:21:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:21, 24 March 2023
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	* it’s hard to do this and retain statistical information which we need. We would have to have “ghost” deleted users still on the groups, which would confuse people.		* it’s hard to do this and retain statistical information which we need. We would have to have “ghost” deleted users still on the groups, which would confuse people.
	These are practical reasons but they might not be good reasons. We know that some people come back after long gaps, which is a potentially good reason.		These are practical reasons but they might not be good reasons. We know that some people come back after long gaps, which is a potentially good reason.


	One of the main reasons for the six month 'cut off' is for spam reputation.<br>		One of the main reasons for the six month 'cut off' is for spam reputation.<br>
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	Regularly sending emails for six months is longer than many of them recommend - three months would be better. But we think that's too short for Freegle.<br>		Regularly sending emails for six months is longer than many of them recommend - three months would be better. But we think that's too short for Freegle.<br>
	So that's why we ask people to visit the site from time to time and stop sending mails if they don't.		So that's why we ask people to visit the site from time to time and stop sending mails if they don't.


	In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, as this subject was raised on Development Group.		In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, as this subject was raised on Development Group.

Jacky at 18:13, 24 March 2023

2023-03-24T18:13:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:13, 24 March 2023
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	* it’s hard to do this and retain statistical information which we need. We would have to have “ghost” deleted users still on the groups, which would confuse people.		* it’s hard to do this and retain statistical information which we need. We would have to have “ghost” deleted users still on the groups, which would confuse people.
	These are practical reasons but they might not be good reasons. We know that some people come back after long gaps, which is a potentially good reason.		These are practical reasons but they might not be good reasons. We know that some people come back after long gaps, which is a potentially good reason.

			One of the main reasons for the six month 'cut off' is for spam reputation.<br>
			The main email providers spot when you send to old inactive mailboxes, or send mails that people don't read or engage with. If you do that, they judge that you're more likely to be a spammer whose grabbed a list of emails from somewhere.<br>
			Then they mark your mails as spam more often, which is bad for everyone.<br>
			Regularly sending emails for six months is longer than many of them recommend - three months would be better. But we think that's too short for Freegle.<br>
			So that's why we ask people to visit the site from time to time and stop sending mails if they don't.

	In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, as this subject was raised on Development Group.		In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, as this subject was raised on Development Group.

Jacky at 13:13, 30 August 2021

2021-08-30T13:13:04Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:13, 30 August 2021
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	*[[Housekeeping]]		*[[Housekeeping]]

	[[category:ModTools]] [[~~cagegory~~:Housekeeping]]		[[category:ModTools]] [[category:Housekeeping]]

Jacky at 13:12, 30 August 2021

2021-08-30T13:12:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:12, 30 August 2021
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	*[[Housekeeping]]		*[[Housekeeping]]

	[[category:ModTools]]		[[category:ModTools]] [[cagegory:Housekeeping]]

Jacky: Created page with "We have thousands of members who post after gaps of multiple years, so we don’t delete inactive accounts automatically. There is no explicit requirement to delete inactive..."

2021-08-30T13:10:03Z

Created page with "We have thousands of members who post after gaps of multiple years, so we don’t delete inactive accounts automatically. There is no explicit requirement to delete inactive..."

New page

We have thousands of members who post after gaps of multiple years, so we don’t delete inactive accounts automatically.

There is no explicit requirement to delete inactive users, but we are only supposed to keep data that we have a good reason to keep. So that might create an implicit requirement to delete inactive users. Some other sites do delete inactive accounts, e.g. after a year. Twitter had some publicity because they were deleting inactive accounts, and some of them were people who had died, and some people objected to that because they wanted the accounts to continue as a kind of memorial.

We currently delete the personal data for inactive users:
*added at least six months ago
*not on any groups
*not logged in for six months
*not on the spammer list
*do not have mod notes
*no logs for six months

This wasn't implemented, however, for users who were still on communities in the first wave of GDPR because:
* concerns about volunteers reacting badly to “the system” removing “their” users, and
* it’s hard to do this and retain statistical information which we need. We would have to have “ghost” deleted users still on the groups, which would confuse people.
These are practical reasons but they might not be good reasons. We know that some people come back after long gaps, which is a potentially good reason.

In August 2021, Edward wrote a script to look for users with a long gap between posts, as this subject was raised on Development Group.

*The recordholder is someone who posted again after a gap of about 9 years. But that was someone in Norfolk, which is a special case because they might have woken up when we moved platform.
*Ignoring Norfolk, there’s someone in Brighton who was quite active in January 2016, and then went completely quiet until August 2021, when they become quite active again.

So that’s five and a half years. We have around 7,000 users who have posted again with a gap of three years.

Given this, it seemed not a good thing to start automatically deleting inactive accounts which are still on communities. But of course, volunteers can manually do this if they choose.

Links:
*[[ModTools]]
*[[Housekeeping]]

[[category:ModTools]]