The problem is much older than we think: a Facebook user shares their address book with the social network, causing "non-users" to end up registered on its servers. Something similar happens when using Facebook credentials with other apps and services that hand over that information as part of the login process. From a technical standpoint, Facebook offers a mechanism to detect and delete that information, but one thing is certain: they don't want you to know.
One of the worst-kept secrets in the world is that Facebook has your phone number and email address even if you haven't shared them with the platform. Your discipline can be very good, but if someone else enables access to their address book and you are one of their contacts, game over.
As expected, Facebook/Meta responded by doing the bare minimum. Although an official tool exists to delete that data, it is buried in a nearly unknown help section called Information for people who don't use Meta products. At the same time, they don't even bother to name the tool, and it only appears as a link next to the phrase 'Click here if you have any questions about your rights'.
Deleting your emails and phones from Facebook
Basically, there are three options: mobile phone, landline phone and email address, and in terms of platforms, it reaches Facebook/Messenger and Instagram. The process requires repeating it for each item, and it is not possible to request a general deletion. But the most controversial point is that we must confirm the information before deleting it. For example, if you want to delete a mobile phone number, Facebook/Meta will send a verification code via SMS to proceed.
Then, Facebook will request a final confirmation so that the numbers/emails are deleted and blocked, but there are no technical details about it. The most likely thing is that this data goes to a kind of blacklist... therefore, they will remain on Facebook's servers, one way or another.
In summary, this only confirms the transparency problems that devour Facebook from within and generate distrust among users. Besides sharing all the relevant technical elements, the tool should be more exposed, not hidden among 800 words of documentation.
Access the tool: Click here
