Why do some internet services make it impossible to actually delete an account? What do they gain by holding on to an empty profile?
Shareholders, advertising money, and all that comes with it. If a website can say "look at our userbase! It's huge!" even if it's a lot of unused/dead accounts, it looks better to potential investors and advertisers than actually allowing the number to dwindle.
The Short Answer
Shareholders, advertising money, and all that comes with it. If a website can say "look at our userbase! It's huge!" even if it's a lot of unused/dead accounts, it looks better to potential investors and advertisers than actually allowing the number to dwindle. As for legality, no idea. It's not false advertising per se to say an unused account is part of the user base, but it is dishonest.
Analysis
Key Concepts: It's, advertising, unused
This explanation focuses on it's, advertising, unused and spans 70 words across 5 sentences. The depth is typical for Technology questions (category average: 75 words), striking a balance between accessibility and completeness.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Shareholders, advertising money, and all that comes with it.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 5 connected points.
How This Compares in Technology
Ranked #230 of 500 Technology questions by answer depth (top 47%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why some internet services make it impossible to actually delete an account? what do they gain by holding on to an empty profile?
Shareholders, advertising money, and all that comes with it. If a website can say "look at our userbase! It's huge!" even if it's a lot of unused/dead accounts, it looks better to potential investors and advertisers than actually allowing the number…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Technology questions?
This is an above-average answer at 70 words, ranked #230 of 500 Technology questions by depth. The key concepts covered are it's, advertising, unused.
What approach does this answer take to explain some internet services make it impossible to actually delete?
The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 70 words. It is categorized under Technology and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.