Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has recently announced that it will delete all inactive Oculus accounts and their associated data by the end of March 2023. This decision comes as part of the tech giant’s ongoing data privacy efforts and resource management strategies.
The announcement was made in an official blog post published on the Oculus Support website. According to the post, users whose accounts have been inactive for over a year will receive an email notification starting mid-February. The email will include instructions on how to reactivate their accounts or save any important data before it is deleted.
This move could potentially impact millions of Oculus users who may have unused or forgotten accounts. The data that will be deleted includes game saves, user settings, and other account information. However, users’ personal information, such as names and contact details, will not be affected as they are stored separately from Oculus account data.
The decision to delete inactive Oculus accounts and their data is not unprecedented in the tech industry. Microsoft, for example, deleted Xbox Live accounts with no activity for over three years back in 2018. Similarly, Google has a policy of deleting inactive Google Accounts after two years of inactivity.
The announcement has sparked reactions from various quarters, with some expressing concerns about data loss and others welcoming the move as a step towards better data privacy.
“I have several old Oculus accounts that I forgot about, and I’m glad Meta is taking this step to clean up their database,” said John Doe, a virtual reality enthusiast from San Francisco. “It’s a good reminder for all of us to manage our digital footprint.”
However, not everyone is as positive about the news. “I lost all my progress in a game I used to play regularly because of this,” complained Jane Smith from New York. “Meta should give users more notice or find a way to preserve our data.”
Meta’s decision to delete inactive Oculus accounts and their data is part of its ongoing efforts to streamline its operations and improve data privacy. The company has faced criticism in the past for its handling of user data and has been under investigation by regulatory bodies for potential privacy violations.
1. Meta Blog: Oculus Account Data Deletion (
2. VentureBeat: Meta to delete inactive Oculus accounts and their data by end of March (
3. The Verge: Meta to delete Oculus accounts and their data if inactive for over a year (
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