Redact

Wanting to delete old posts from social media is surprisingly common. Chalk it up to a desire to start anew, or just an impulse to simply erase the less noteworthy bits and pieces, going through your accounts across all platforms individually can take some time — but you can do it.

That’s all well and good, but what if you could automate most of the process? Redact can help, as it features support for a wide variety of social media platforms and grants you a great deal of control in configuring the deletion process: set date ranges, use word filters, and more.

As stated in the beginning, the reasons for mass-deleting social media posts are many, and they vary from person to person. With a tool such as this one, the user delegates this activity while still being in control of its proceedings: deleting posts within a certain date range is a good place to start, as you’ll then be able to start configuring the keywords to delete or preserve, if applicable.

The program is quite generous in terms of the websites it supports. Conventional platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all present, but so are Tumblr, Discord, Deviantart, Pinterest, MyAnimeList, to name a few. There’s a Scan Browser function that supposedly scans your browser to find the platforms you use and such, but it didn’t do much for me.

Note that you will need to authenticate your relevant accounts to proceed with the deletion. Logins are handled through the respective pages of the chosen platforms, so you can safely enter your account credentials.

Before doing anything too drastic, it’s best to first use Preview Mode to see what you’re about to delete. It’s good that it’s the default selection, as it gives users a chance to review the content to be axed.

I should also note that there’s a Schedule Deletion functionality. Sure, you can go ahead and do one-off deletions whenever you need, but you may also schedule your purges.

Redact is no doubt a useful piece of software. In an age where social media is seemingly inextricably linked with our day-to-day lives, it helps to keep a clean profile, which is what this solution can help with.