'Delete Facebook' online searches more than double across the UK... and Londoners are most likely to want rid

Searches to delete social media accounts rise by 139 per cent in London alone
More people are considering deleting Facebook around the world
PA Wire/PA Images
Martin Coulter23 April 2018

The number of people searching "how to delete Facebook" online doubled in March - with Londoners most likely to want rid of their accounts.

The social media platform's reputation has suffered greatly in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

It is believed around 50 million users worldwide had their data accessed - with approximately one million victims based in the UK.

The new study, conducted by data firm Top10VPN found searches for "delete Facebook" had risen by 101 per cent in the UK compared to the previous month.

Simon Migliano, head of research at Top10VPN, said: “The Cambridge Analytica data breach has confirmed the long-held suspicions of many social media users that their personal data is being used for various means without their explicit consent.

“The backlash against what many would consider an egregious use of powers was immediate - with thousands of users in impacted countries swiftly looking to distance themselves from data-hungry sites like Facebook.

"The rocketing of search terms like ‘delete Facebook' is evidence of a digital uprising of sorts against what has become the accepted norm in the last decade.

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“Certain UK cities were especially quick to distance themselves - the largest surges in search terms notably centred on cities often known for innovation, such as London."

Across the country, "delete Facebook" was looked up most widely in the capital, with searches skyrocketing 139 per cent from 16,027 to 38,370.

Brighton came in second place, climbing by 129 per cent, while Bristol rose by 111 per cent.

Rounding up the top five were Scottish capital Edinburgh, rising 98 per cent, and Sunderland, where figures rose 95 per cent.

Internationally, the UK came fourth behind Canada (175 per cent), the US (132 per cent) and New Zealand (103 per cent).

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told US senators his own personal data was shared in the data scandal which sent political shockwaves on either side of the Atlantic earlier this year.

He agreed to implement tighter regulations on the platform as a means of protecting user security in the future.

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