Do other commenting websites (like Reddit, Disqus, ...) allow the user to delete an account and all the associated comments? I think Reddit only shows [deleted] next to a comment, with the comment still there.
Are they obliged to delete the comments according to laws like GDPR?
One thing to be aware of for Reddit (and perhaps HN) is there are multiple scrapers archiving it in real time, so even if you delete a post from the main site it's still going to be available to anyone who takes the time to look. I would assume that government agencies archive and index all of that low hanging fruit as well.
I would think this is true though admittedly I think 95% of people just want their comments deleted so co-workers/friends can't stumble upon a semi-political hot take from a few years ago. Not because there is anything illegal or even career ruining.
> A business that receives a verifiable consumer request from a consumer to delete the consumer’s personal information pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section shall delete the consumer’s personal information from its records
> The CCPA definition of personal information can be best understood by analyzing separately each of the four closely intertwined building blocks embedded in it: (i) “information”; (ii) “that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked”; (iii) “directly or indirectly”; (iv) “with a particular consumer or household”.
The HN legal page ( linked at the footer of the site ) indicates that Y Combinator considers public submissions to HN (stories and comments) as a category of Personal Information.
At least one US state has a data protection law that gives a similar basis for deletion requests. HN already has to honor these, even though they might or might not be useless for EU citizens.
My understanding of GDPR is that, theoretically, any service which is used by European citizens is subject to GDPR. It's the citizenship of the user, not the location of the hosting or service.
Under the same kind of reasoning, Hong Kong’s security law of a couple of years ago has global reach and European citizens in Europe can be held responsible for violating it if they say the wrong things.
Technically true, but in practice, jurisdictional limitations mean that this is often ignored without consequence by those who do not have a financial presence in the EU.
The EU can claim whatever they want - ownership of the moon, taxes from Chinese villagers, or that US companies in the US have to follow their little rules. Doesn't mean they have the right, jurisdiction, or authority.
Are they obliged to delete the comments according to laws like GDPR?