Comment by _carbyau_ | Hacker News Reader

Comment by _carbyau_ | Hacker News Reader

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> The difference is that meta is providing that service world wide.

So where is the cutoff? My one free user obviously didn't make the cut. But 100 does? 1000?

Normal logs/bookkeeping need to be kept anyway if you are running a business. And special legal letters are special by definition.

I'm still not seeing why google outright couldn't delete a million random free accounts if they wish. It'd be bad for reputation but execs have done similar in the past.

I am not saying I like it. I am not saying I want it to be a certain way.

I am trying to point out that all these free accounts are running on servers provided by a business. They are subject to the whims of the business and the market the business operates in. If the business fails, so do the accounts.

You’re basically asking for legal council. The law is precise to a large extent but just as hairy and vague. You’re not getting meaningful answers from a defensive position.

But the short answer is that where is the line depends on jurisdiction, it is often along the lines of what they consider a hobby, a small business, large business, and so on.

I am looking for anything to back up this statement.

> Anything dealing with user deletion should go through a well established, legal approved process.

Which seems prohibitive. As though someone's personal emails/tweets/images on a free account are somehow protected from the whims of a high enough exec.

But as far as I can tell, it is within legal bounds for a business to freely give and taketh away free accounts if they wish. The only thing stopping them from mass account deletion is public perception.

It is not unconditionally within legal bounds to deny service. There is a lot of prohibitions on protected characteristics, contractual obligations and customary expectations which can open you for civil liability.

You’re just pretending a business transaction is a person one. It is not.

"counsel"

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