After Meta’s decision to remove it third-party fact-checking system and loosening content moderation policies, Google will find ways to remove Facebook, Instagram, and Threads has increased.

People outraged by the decision accused Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of cozying up to the incoming Trump administration at the expense of making the company’s social media platforms even more of a hotbed for wrongdoing. informative and polarizing speech. Zuckerberg’s comments that the company’s third-party fact checkers are “too politically biased” for his views on “free expression” probably didn’t help matters.

So if you, like countless others, have Meta algorithms bothering you (insert cultural or political issue here) and are tired of companies slurping your data to train AI or target advertising, then read.

How to download your Facebook archive

If you have decided to delete (and not just deactivate) your Facebook account, you need to download your personal information from the Facebook archives, which includes photos, active sessions, history of chats, IP addresses, facial recognition data, and ads you click on. in.

Note that these instructions require a computer and a web browser, not a mobile phone.

Here’s what to do:

• Click the down arrow under your profile picture in the upper right corner.
• Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings.
• Scroll down the left column until you get it Your informationand click Download your information.
• You will be prompted to visit the Accounts Center. Click Keep.
• When the pop-up appears, click Download or transfer information.
• You can choose information from which accounts, including your Facebook, Instagram, and Meta Horizon accounts, to download. Click nEXT.
• Select how much information you want to download, and click nEXT. Note from FB: “If you select Specific types of information, you can choose which types of information you want to download, including data logs.”
• Decide if you want to download your information to a device or transfer your information directly to a destination and click nEXT.
  • If you choose Transfer destinationyou can choose the destination and schedule transfers in the future. Once you have made your selection, click Start the transfer and enter your Facebook profile password.
  • If you choose Download to deviceselect your file options. There is a list that allows you to create a date range, and you can download in HTML or JSON, and choose between high, medium, or low media quality.
• Click Submit the request.

How to delete your Facebook account

Note: If you delete your account, you will no longer be able to access it. Facebook will delay deletion for a few days after it is requested and will cancel your deletion request if you log back into Facebook during this time.

It is also worth noting, some information such as messaging history is not stored in your account, so your friends may still have access to the messages you sent after deleting your account.

With that in mind, here’s how to do it:

• Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
• Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings.
• Click Accounts Center at the top left of the screen.
• Click Personal detailsunder Account Settings.
• Click Account ownership and control.
• Click Deactivation or deletion.
• Select the account or profile you want to deactivate.
• selection Deactivate the account.
• Click Keep and follow the instructions to confirm.

How to download your Instagram information

There are two ways to find the web page where you can download your Instagram information — you go through Accounts Center or in your Instagram Settings. For the former, navigate to Your information and consent to search Download your information. To get to Instagram Settings, click the three parallel lines at the bottom left of your screen, then click Your activity…

Either of those steps will take you to Download your information page. You need to click on the profiles you want to download your information from and choose whether you want to download it to a device or directly transfer the information to another destination.

If you choose Download to deviceyou must select a date, notification email, format of your download request, and quality of photos, videos, and other media — such as downloading your Facebook information. Then click Create files.

If you have made the request, it will appear as In progress under the Current Activity tab of Download your information tools. Instagram will notify you via email and the app when it’s ready, and you have four days to download the information.

How to delete your Instagram account

Downloaded your information? Now you are ready for permanent removal.

Here’s how to do it on the web page:

• Straight to Account ownership and control settings in the Accounts Center.
• Click Deactivation or deletion.
• Click on the account you want to delete.
• Click Account deletionthen click Continue.

Once your account is deleted, you can sign up with the same username if it’s still available, if you have a change of heart.

How to delete your Threads account

Note: If you delete the Instagram account associated with your Threads profile, that will also delete your Threads profile.

But to delete Threads only, you need to go to the Threads.net web page on a computer, and follow these steps:

• Click on the two parallel lines at the bottom left of the page, then click Settings.
• Click Account above, then Deactivate or delete the profile.
• Click Delete profile.
• Follow any prompts that appear, then click Deleting a Threads profile.

It will take 30 days to process the removal request. And if you want to sign up using the same Instagram profile, you have to wait 90 days.