User Self Delete for WordPress

GDPR-compliant WordPress plugin for user self-deletion with country-based data retention periods for legal and tax compliance.

Features

🌍 Smart Data Retention

• Country-Based Retention: Select countries where you do business
• Automatic Calculation: Plugin calculates maximum required retention period
• Soft Delete System: Users archived immediately, permanently deleted after retention period
• Archive Table: Deleted users stored separately for optimal performance

🛡️ GDPR Compliance

• Article 17 Right to Erasure: Users can delete accounts with minimal barriers
• Legal Compliance: Balances GDPR with tax/accounting retention requirements
• Audit Trail: Complete logging of all deletion activities
• Data Anonymization: WooCommerce orders anonymized while preserving business records

⚡ Performance Optimized

• Deleted users moved to separate archive table
• WordPress doesn't load archived users in queries
• Automatic daily cleanup via cron
• WP-CLI commands for manual management

🔧 Technical Features

• Modern Stack: PHP 8.2+, WordPress 6.4+
• WooCommerce HPOS: Compatible with High-Performance Order Storage
• REST API: Modern endpoint for account deletion
• Vanilla JavaScript: No jQuery dependency
• Simplified UX: Single-step password confirmation, integrated account details placement
• Security Hardened: Admin deletion prevention, IP validation, XSS-safe, clear error messaging

Requirements

• PHP: 8.2 or higher
• WordPress: 6.4 or higher
• WooCommerce: 7.0+ (optional)

Installation

1. Upload plugin to /wp-content/plugins/user-self-delete/
2. Activate through WordPress admin
3. Go to Settings > User Self Delete
4. Select countries where you have customers
5. Configure retention and deletion preferences

Configuration

Data Retention Settings

Countries Where You Sell

• Select all countries where you have customers
• Plugin automatically applies maximum retention period required
• Examples: Germany (10 years), UK (6 years), Bulgaria (5 years)

Custom Retention Override

• Optionally set custom retention period
• Useful for specific regulations or business requirements

General Settings

• Enable Logging: Track deletions for audit (recommended)
• Admin Notifications: Email notifications for deletions
• Order Handling: Anonymize (recommended) or delete WooCommerce orders
• Post Handling: Reassign to admin or delete user posts

Usage

For Users

WooCommerce Sites:

1. Go to My Account > Account Details
2. Scroll to the "Delete Account" section
3. Click "Delete My Account" button
4. Enter your password in the confirmation modal
5. Click "Delete My Account" to confirm
6. Account deleted immediately, data archived per retention period

Standard WordPress:

• Available in user profile page
• Same streamlined deletion process

Simplified Interface:

• Single password confirmation step
• Clear error messages (e.g., admins cannot self-delete)
• No redundant warning prompts
• Clean, integrated design

For Administrators

View Deletion Statistics:

• Go to Settings > User Self Delete
• View total deletions, monthly stats, recent activity

Manage Archived Users:

# View expired archived users (dry run)
wp user-self-delete cleanup --dry-run

# Cleanup expired users
wp user-self-delete cleanup --yes

# View deletion statistics
wp user-self-delete stats

# View recent deletion log
wp user-self-delete log --limit=20

# Export deletion log
wp user-self-delete export deletions-2024.csv

How It Works

Soft Delete Process

1. User Requests Deletion

   • Enters password to confirm
   • All personal data archived

2. Immediate Anonymization

   • User removed from wp_users table
   • Data moved to archive table
   • WooCommerce orders anonymized
   • Login prevented

3. Scheduled Permanent Deletion

   • Based on country retention requirements
   • Automatic cleanup via daily cron
   • Manual cleanup via WP-CLI

Archive Table

Deleted users stored in wp_user_self_delete_archive:

• Original user data preserved for audit
• Scheduled deletion date tracked
• Retention periods recorded
• IP address and timestamp logged

Database Tables

• wp_user_self_delete_log - Deletion activity log
• wp_user_self_delete_archive - Soft-deleted users archive

REST API

Delete Account Endpoint:

POST /wp-json/user-self-delete/v1/delete-account
Authorization: Bearer [nonce]
Body: { "password": "user_password" }

Account Info Endpoint:

GET /wp-json/user-self-delete/v1/account-info
Authorization: Bearer [nonce]

WP-CLI Commands

# Statistics
wp user-self-delete stats
wp user-self-delete stats --format=json

# Deletion log
wp user-self-delete log
wp user-self-delete log --limit=50 --format=csv

# Cleanup expired users
wp user-self-delete cleanup --dry-run
wp user-self-delete cleanup --yes --limit=100

# Export log
wp user-self-delete export
wp user-self-delete export --start-date=2024-01-01

# View settings
wp user-self-delete settings

Hooks & Filters

// Before soft deletion
do_action('user_self_delete_before_soft_deletion', $user_id, $user);

// After soft deletion
do_action('user_self_delete_after_soft_deletion', $user_id, $user, $scheduled_date);

// Before permanent deletion
do_action('user_self_delete_before_deletion', $user_id, $user);

// After permanent deletion
do_action('user_self_delete_after_deletion', $user_id, $user);

// Plugin data cleanup
do_action('user_self_delete_cleanup_plugin_data', $user_id);

Supported Plugins

• WooCommerce: Full HPOS compatibility
• BuddyPress: Activity and profile cleanup
• bbPress: Forum data handling
• Ultimate Member: Profile data removal

Retention Periods by Country

The plugin includes retention periods for 40+ countries:

EU Examples:

• Germany, France, Italy: 10 years
• Austria, Belgium, Netherlands: 7 years
• Denmark, Bulgaria: 5 years

Other Regions:

• United States: 7 years
• United Kingdom: 6 years
• Canada: 6 years
• Australia: 5 years

View full list in admin settings.

Adding New Countries

To add a new country to the plugin:

1. Open includes/retention-periods.php
2. Find the get_countries() method (around line 49)
3. Add your country entry following this format:

'XX' => array(
    'name'   => 'Country Name',
    'years'  => 7,  // Retention period in years
    'region' => 'Region Name',
),

Example:

'FR' => array(
    'name'   => 'France',
    'years'  => 10,
    'region' => 'EU',
),

Available regions: EU, EEA, UK, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, Africa

The retention period should reflect the longest legal requirement for keeping business/tax records in that country.

Security Features

• Password verification required for all deletions
• Admin accounts cannot self-delete (with clear error message)
• IP address logging for audit trail
• XSS-safe DOM manipulation
• Proper nonce verification (REST API and AJAX)
• SQL injection prevention
• Descriptive error messages for better user experience

Migration

Plugin automatically migrates existing soft-deleted users to archive table on activation. This is a one-time operation.

Legal Disclaimer

This plugin helps meet GDPR and data retention requirements but does not guarantee full legal compliance. Consult legal counsel for your specific jurisdiction and business requirements.

Support

For issues, feature requests, or contributions:

• GitHub: https://github.com/Open-WP-Club/User-Self-Delete
• Report bugs via GitHub Issues

License

GPL v2 or later