Your 'deleted' Facebook photos still viewable online years after

Los Angeles Herald (ANI) Tuesday 7th February, 2012

Your embarrassing pictures on Facebook you thought you got rid of months or even years ago by deleting them may still be present on the social networking site, it has emerged.

Facebook has now admitted that its systems 'do not always delete images in a reasonable period of time.'

Deleted pictures on the website don't disappear, but can still be accessed by anyone with a direct URL link to the images, The Daily Mail reports.

That means that if, for instance, a picture has been circulated by email, the image will still be there for anyone who clicks the link.

Technology site Ars Technica reports that Facebook has repeatedly promised to 'fix' problems with the systems it uses to remove photographs, after users pointed out that images tended to persist after deletion.

"The systems we used for photo storage a few years ago did not always delete images from content delivery networks in a reasonable period of time even though they were immediately removed from the site," the paper quoted a Facebook spokesman, as saying.

"We have been working hard to move our photo storage to newer systems which do ensure photos are fully deleted within 45 days of the removal request being received," the spokesman said.

"This process is nearly complete and there is only a very small percentage of user photos still on the old system awaiting migration," he added.

The revelation comes after Facebook faced criticism for its new 'Timeline' profile page, giving users seven days to 'tidy up' their timelines by removing pictures and posts they don't like. (ANI)