When you delete off Facebook activity does that remove your UID from the data?

1. What the question really asks: “UID” and “remove from the data”

The asker is probing whether deleting activity causes Facebook to expunge the unique internal identifier (UID) that links actions, logs and profile fields across systems — in other words, whether deletion severs every internal and external fingerprint that ties a person to stored records, analytics or backups; the available reporting shows deletion tends to remove public-facing links but not immediately or necessarily the UID from all back-end datasets ^{[4] [5] [6]}.

2. Meta’s stated retention windows and the practical lag

Multiple reports and third‑party studies show Meta products commonly retain deleted-account data for a period (frequently cited at about 180 days) to allow recovery and to clear backups; after the initial deletion request data can remain in backups or queues during that window ^{[1] [3] [2]}. Older Facebook help text and journalism note a 90‑day or “up to several months” deletion process for some systems, and reporting finds retention windows vary by data type and product ^{[7] [4] [5]}.

3. Removal versus disassociation: what happens to identifiers

Facebook’s public explanations and reporters’ investigations distinguish “removing personal identifiers” from purging every record: copies of material may be retained while being “disassociated” from direct personal identifiers, meaning UID-like links are removed from some datasets but remnants or metadata can persist in logs or backups ^{[4] [5]}. Independent commentary warns that while visible account links disappear, internal logs, IP records, device signals or hashed identifiers used for fraud detection or analytics might remain accessible to Meta engineers or systems for legal, security or operational reasons ^{[8] [6]}.

4. Why a UID can still matter after deletion — messages, other people’s data, and “off‑Facebook” signals

Even when a user deletes their account, content other people saved (messages, photos they were tagged in) is not removed because it belonged to another account, and that content can still carry links or context back to the deleted UID in server logs or in copies held by recipients ^{[4] [5]}. Additionally, Meta collects “off‑Facebook” activity and device identifiers that feed profiling and ad systems; those aggregated signals can persist and effectively keep a profile or identifiers operational even after an account’s public presence ends ^[6].

5. Legal, security and business exceptions that preserve identifiers

Reports and legal Q&A summaries emphasize that certain records — IP logs, security and fraud‑prevention data, and any materials required by law — can be retained beyond general deletion windows and may be kept in ways that preserve linking information for compliance or investigations ^{[8] [7]}. Journalistic accounts note that Meta has in the past retained frozen or “skeleton” account data for long periods to support account recovery or platform integrity, and privacy laws (e.g., GDPR/California rules) complicate blanket erasure claims ^[6].

6. Bottom line and practical steps

In short: deleting activity or an account typically removes the public UID linkage and starts a retention/cleanup process, but it does not guarantee that every backend copy, log entry, or off‑platform signal tied to that UID is immediately or ever completely purged — some identifiers may be disassociated, some retained, and some persist in other people’s data or backups ^{[4] [1] [5]}. For those seeking maximal removal, the reporting recommends downloading data, manually deleting content where possible, reviewing third‑party app permissions, and using platform tools and legal channels to request deletion — while acknowledging that absolute, instant erasure across all Meta systems and partner copies is not assured by the evidence in reporting ^{[2] [3] [9]}.