Add-on Abandon Account

[Alpha1]

Like most communities we get frequent support requests from members who want us to delete their account and posts. As we treasure our content, we do not want to offer trolls the opportunity to start with a clean slate and because our ToS stipulates this, we can not comply with the request. Members can simply stop using their account. However, this does not change the fact that members will keep filing such requests and that there is a demand to formally stop using the account.

Therefore I suggest the following functionality:
Add a function to 'Abandon account'.
When this is clicked the user gets a notification that the account will be deactivated and can not be activated without staff action. After confirming this, the account can not be logged into.
If the user wants to reactivate their account they will need to contact support/staff.

 

[Mike Edge]

I like this idea and in fact already suggested it. Though rather then bothering staff, it should be more Facebook like where you can re-activate it yourself.

 

[Paul B]

You could achieve the "abandon" function more or less by using a custom user field and a user group promotion.

 

[Mike Edge]

You could achieve the "abandon" function more or less by using a custom user field and a user group promotion.

How would that hide posts made by the de-activated account though?

 

[Paul B]

I didn't see that requested in the OP.
It was stated that:

As we treasure our content, we do not want to offer trolls the opportunity to start with a clean slate and because our ToS stipulates this, we can not comply with the request

 

[Alpha1]

You could achieve the "abandon" function more or less by using a custom user field and a user group promotion.

Could you please expand on this?
How would this block the user from logging in?
What purpose would the custom user field have?

 

[Paul B]

The custom user field would allow the user to check it themselves.
When checked a user group promotion would run which would add them to a group with all permissions revoked.

So yes they could log in but they wouldn't be able to do anything.

In effect it would be a user triggered self ban.