That seems unreasonable.. proving ownership of the email address should be considered sufficient so ICO complaint it is.
this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2026
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Exactly. It's like those creeps are obsessed with my data.
“We would love to delete your data for you. In order to do that, you need to provide us even more data than we originally asked for during account creation.”
The only identifable information you should have to provide is the information you signed up with.
I've had a couple sites ask for id, but that wouldnt verify I own the account anymore than just me sending them the email from the same address I used to sign up with.
GDPR has a flaw iirc, where it allows this, I guess the UK version isnt any different.
The only identifable information you should have to provide is the information you signed up with.
There was a bill in the US that would've required sites let you delete your info without providing anything extra besides what you provided to sign up.
Last I knew, it failed to become law. I'm sure every tech company in the galaxy was lobbying against it.
So this is where you go patch the problem GDPR right?
Facebook did something like this to me a year or two ago with the AI thing. They told me if I find any of my content being output by their AI and send it to them, they’ll remove it.
If it isn't many images, couldn't you just login on VPN (i think proton has free one) and delete images?
I did think of that, not to delete anything, just to check what's actually there so I could answer their questions. But I've got a feeling if I try to bypass the UK block with a VPN, they'll just hit me with even more obstacles.
Is there even any rules on VPNs? Wasn't you just on holiday for a weekend?
It's not that they don't want from the UK, they just can't be bothered to deal with the Online Safety Act.
I use imgur rarely, without account. Sharing images in sites like Lemmy, Mastodon, and other ActivityPub sites don't need an image sharer, images can be uploaded directly or simply with copy paste. Hosting or backup images and any other files with Filen or Koofr, both 10 GB for free and from the EU (Germany and Slovenia)
That is bs. I should consider deleting mine but now i cba. Though i can still access mine with a vpn. So i might delete through the site.
Thats the point, you won't fight it because it's annoying to do
I have heard that called "sludge". As a generic term for that tactic.
Deleting through the site is definitely the better option if they allow permanent deletion. But I wouldn't be surprised if they claim unable to confirm your location due to the VPN and question if UK GDPR applies to you and then demand a driving license...
This is over the top. I've had this trying to get a rarely used email account back, but if you own the account that can reset the password...why do this?
but if you own the account that can reset the password…why do this?
Yeah, that was literally what I told them.