While some Facebook users would want to permanently delete their accounts, others would want to opt out of it temporarily for varied reasons. Some may find Facebook interfering with their professional lives and would want to disable it for a time, then go back to it once busy days are over. For those who want to disable their Facebook account, it is possible and the process is pretty straightforward.
Not sure how to temporarily deactivate a Facebook account? Here is a step-by-step guide:
1. Click the downward arrow on the top right corner of any Facebook page
2. Choose "Settings"
3. Click "Security" on the left-hand column
4. Choose "Deactivate your account"
5. Follow instructions of the page wizard
Temporarily disabling one's account opts the user out of Facebook for a time until he/she reactivates it. This means, the user's photos, timeline updates and pages will not be visible to other Facebook users.
Should one decide to reactivate his/her Facebook account, it is as simple as logging in to Facebook with one's login email and password. The account will get back to how it was on the day of temporary deactivation, and one can use the account with ease moving forward.
While these steps account for personal reasons, there are also cases when Facebook disables accounts. Facebook gives reasons as to why it disables some accounts:
- A user does not use his/her real name. While this may be difficult to set out, it can be quite obvious when using business names for personal accounts.
- Joining too many groups, as a user can only join up to 200 groups.
- Adding too many friends. A user can only have at most 5,000 friends per account.
- Spamming other peoples' or groups' walls. This includes posting on others' walls too often.
- Poking too many people. Limit isn't set, but there is an option for users to report pokers to Facebook.
- Under 18-year old users and not part of a high school group.
- Posting offensive, racist, discriminatory or sexual content.
- Copy, pasting and sending the same message too many times.
- Sending messages to group members too often.
- Sending messages to event members too often.
- Impersonating someone.
It is important to know that Facebook gives users choices on who to be friends with, who not to be friends with, and whenever a user chooses to temporarily deactivate or permanently deactivate one's account.
