Hi guys,
earlier this week, I wanted to delete my Hypixel (popular Minecraft server) Forums account, so I wrote them an email about it. But as you can see in the attached screenshot, they are asking for my ID which I think is pretty dumb for an account from a Minecraft forum. None of Apple, Google etc. ask for such information for account deletion, do you know if that is even legal under GDPR? I will definitely not give them my ID…
And if that practice is in fact legal, what should I do?
Well, that sucks. Talk about dodgy. The only thing that comes to mind that requests ID, is Facebook, and that’s only if you no longer have access to your account.
Do you live in a country, with strong privacy/security laws? You might be able to spin this, and use those laws against them. Mention the law (eg: GDPR’s Article 17, Right to Erasure), and notify them that you’re revoking any T&C/Policies you may have agreed to. If they still do request ID, ask how they handle that data, and how long it is stored. Try to convince them that they have no right to that data. If they still want an image, create a fake one with Gimp/Photoshop (do not use cloud photo editing solutions). Swap your image, erase (do not blur, that’s easily reversed) or change various details, and so on. Once done, upload that. Bit of a nuisance, but at least you won’t be handing over that kind of important data.
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Yes. It is in fact legal. Companies reserve the right to ask for ID to process GDPR requests, requesting ID helps prevent someone else (other than you) from accessing your information.
The reason bigger companies such as Apple, Google, Meta, etc… don’t usually ask for ID is due to the fact that they will have a system in place to verify the legitimacy of a request. You will notice, for example, when deleting an Apple ID, there will be a notice saying something along the lines of: ‘Your request is being processed and verified.’ The service in question most likely doesn’t have the resources to manage/create an automated system but, want to abide by the law therefore, they ask for ID.
You can ask if there is an alternative way to verify your identity. If they decline you should ask questions regarding how long they keep the ID and you should also ask if you can blank out unneeded details.
Hope this helps 
TL;DR -
Yes, it is legal.
Thanks for your advice, I’ll surely try that.
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