Getting email from Instagram a couple of years after deleting my account

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TA_questions - Dec 5, 2020 at 03:28 PM
 Sara - Oct 21, 2021 at 02:40 PM
Hey, all!
First, thanks for your help in advance!
This is a throwaway account. I had to ask my question here, since my previous searches into the issue haven't been very successful with finding a solution. Also, sorry for a long post coming, but I want to give you as much context and info as I can. Don't know if it's relevant, but I'm not in the US.
About two years ago (or more) I made an Instagram account which I intended to link to my blog. As I didn't like the platform, I deleted my account like a day later, removed my email from it and removed the app from my phone (and I don't even use the phone I had it on, gave it to my parents).
Yesterday, I get a message from Instagram to the email I used to register my account (not the same as my FB email) all those years ago and addressing me by my username that they are updating their Terms of Service. I was like, why am I getting this, I don't even have Insta (anymore)? So, I wrote to them (used the datarequest email they have, since that is the only help & support email I could find after endlessly running in circles through the Help section on their website) that I deleted the account with the username and I removed my information from the platform, so if they could just unsubscribe me from their mailing list entirely and delete my data, as it obviously didn't happen with my account deletion and in the email itself there was no way for me to do it myself directly. I also informed them that typing my username and the email didn't show any matches on the log in page, and I took it as my account being really gone.
After a couple of back and forth emails and them basically redirecting my inquiry to Facebook support, I get a message from FB help that the account associated with the username and email I listed had been disabled due to violation of ToS and gave me the link to check why my account was disabled. This maybe could have happened cuz my username was kind of stupid and had the word bottoms in it, but in like a drinking 'bottoms up' sense, hadn't I deleted it almost right away. I know they keep a backlog of user info, but it's usually 90 days, not two years.
Now, what should I do? How do I communicate to them that I don't care if my account was disabled, which again is virtually impossible, because I deleted it almost immediately after I made it and had no problems logging in within that short period, and I just want them to remove my data from their archives? Is that even possible? I don't even want to get another Instagram account, I don't need this nuisance. But I feel like I'm speaking a whole different language and they somehow don't get what I'm asking them to do...
Should I try to "restore" my account through the "why was it disabled form?" and then delete it again? Then again, like I said, it shows my username and email as a non-existent user, I can't even get in via "forgot your password?"
Or should I just drop it and simply block Insta/FB emails from this address?
You may wonder why I'm so adamant about removing my email or any residual info from their data logs, but I really despise data stealing/compiling shenanigans these big corporates try to pull off and I try to keep my online print as small as possible. Especially in a situation when I no longer use the service, it's been years since I moved away from it, and FB's reputation regarding issues like this.
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2 responses

David Webb Posts 3177 Registration date Monday November 25, 2019 Status Administrator Last seen May 15, 2023   6,926
Dec 8, 2020 at 04:43 AM
Hello, I understand what you're saying.

It's certainly odd that they are saying your account is disabled, as opposed to having being permanently deleted. Trying to "recover" your account would probably take up more time than its worth, and you can be 100% that after deleting your account for a second time, anything would change concerning the retention of your personal data and email address. If you were able to recover the account, you could change the email address to a throw away account so that they can no longer bother you... however if they already have your email account from the first time, there is a good chance they will still have that account on record, even after changing it.

Besides contacting Facebook support (because Facebook owns Instagram) and requesting that they delete your data - if they manage to understand what you want, there isn't really much you can do.

In future, consider using a throw away email address for creating accounts (keep the login details etc, but just so its not on your main email account).

It may just be easier blocking Instagram on your email account. They will still have your email account, but won't be able to bother you any more.

I hope this helps,

Regards

David Webb

Content Editor and Community Manager - CCM.net

2
Hi, I'm having a really similar issue you're having. Just curious. What data request email address did you write to? The only one I can find is defunct. I got an automatic reply saying the account is no longer in use.
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