This sounds like exactly the kind of development I have long hoped would impact the web, and Steem particularly, and I am strongly encouraged to see it ongoing.
"...you can always delete it from the database, forever."
I am not convinced this is possible, as once shared, others then have the data themselves, and it seems impossible to prevent others from doing with such data as they will, which would make deleting it from the blockchain nothing more than busywork. It is facile to see that Google allowing folks to delete their old searches, which Google has retained, simply deletes the users ability to see those searches, but does not actually delete them from Googles own records. Even if Google was so morally upright as to actually enable users to delete Googles access to that data, any third parties that have acquired that data through partnership or data sharing with Google simply aren't affected, as they have their own database.
Curious as to what ya'll envision might impact this reality regarding data persistence.
Thanks!
You're right, to some extent there is no way to completely delete data off the internet once it has been shared. In the case of the text you quoted this is in reference to off chain data that is stored on our servers. Though this doesn't solve the caching by other services we plan to do everything in our power to delete any data that the user no longer wishes to share.
Well, it is good to realize our limitations, and to limit our promises to what we can actually achieve. I appreciate your forthright response, and expect you will do what you can in that regard.
Thanks!