New Process! (10/13/20)
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If user is still around and can do it themselves (this is our strongly-recommended and preferred path, as it avoids manual errors or spoofed “delete my account” emails):
Tahoe users may request that their account and data be deleted by clicking “Delete my account” in their account settings (https://courses.edx_domain/account/settings).- If our customer is asking on behalf of a learner (for example, they got a deletion request), share with them the info above and the important notes below. DO NOT offer to do this for them as a first step.
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If user is not around or it requires our intervention for some other reason:
- First, make sure the customer has already tried to get the learner to follow the above step. Do not establish a pattern where we do these all the time. The above step is the least error-prone method.
- How to disable/delete account in the LMS via the UserStanding manager
Important Note:
- Deletion of a user account and personal data is permanent and cannot be undone. We will not be able to recover the deleted account or the data that is deleted. Any certificates earned will be deleted.
- It also will not be possible to open a new Open edX account with the same email address or username.
Admin Process
We don’t recommend that admins get involved in this process as it involves them consenting on behalf of the user. To get started with this, please make sure that the user you are deleting their account gives you a consent to consent on their behalf.
After getting the user approval, you can follow these steps:
1. Navigate to open edX admin page; usually https://courses.edx_domain/admin
2. Choose users table from under Auth, or navigate to https://courses.edx_domain/admin/auth/user
3. Search for the username or email, then navigate to that user.
4. Change the user password (They won’t need it anyway) and hit save.
5. Log in their account using their email and the password you just entered.
6. Go to https://courses.edx_domain/account/settings.
7. Click on Delete my account in the edX account settings.
Technical Knowledge
For more technical knowledge and next steps a developer might need, please refer to Deleting retired users from edX Platform document.
Q&A
Delete my account button is deactivated
First, the user needs to unlink any associated social media account with their account.
Second, because edX requires a password to authorize account deletion, users need to reset their passwords to create a separate password for their edX accounts. Most of the users who signed up using a social account did not set a password.
Third, the user will be able to request that their edX account and data be deleted by clicking Delete my account and provide their password when prompted.
What happens when an account is deleted?
After deletion, the platform will permanently deactivate the account, remove the active profile, retire their username, and remove the user from edX email lists. The will also permanently delete their edX account profile and the personal data we use to identify them on our system. Note that there are some exceptions to deletion, as further described in edX Privacy Policy.
Can an account be retrieved after I delete it?
Deleting an edX account is a permanent action that cannot be reversed. We will not be able to recover the account or the data that is deleted. The user will no longer be able to use their account to take courses on the enterprise account. If the account is a Tahoe account, the user will not be able to use the email on any other site hosted by Tahoe. This includes access to Tahoe from their employer’s or university’s system and access to private sites.
After clicking “Delete my account” is the account immediately deleted?
Account deletion, including removal from email lists, may take a few weeks to fully process through our system. If they want to opt-out of emails before then, they can unsubscribe from the footer of any email. (Despite this processing period, account and data deletion is still permanent, so their account and data will not be able to be recovered once they’ve submitted a deletion request.)
What happens to their certificates if they delete their account?
They will lose access to verified certificates and other program credentials. If they want to make a copy of these for their records before proceeding with deletion, please point them to the instructions for printing or downloading a certificate.
Can they create a new account if they change their mind?
Users are always welcome back to continue learning. Due to the fact that their previous account has been permanently deleted, they will need to start fresh with a brand-new account. They will not be able to use the same email or username for their new account.