This is true, but there are two exceptions: admins have a purge action which permanently deletes content. And like others already said, when you delete your account everything that you posted is permanently deleted.

Besides purging your data (we mention how to do this below), we also have an open-source codebase, so you can verify that the actions are actually deleting your data. I could link the source code for that if you like.

Reddit does not have this. When they tell you they deleted your data, its a “just trust us” from an extremely untrustworthy company.

This isn’t too much different from how reddit works; nothing that’s “Deleted” is gone unless it’s actually hard deleted (purged) from the site.

It’s that way for a reason…so that appropriate moderators and admins can see behavior overall when appropriate.

For example on reddit if I “remove” your post from my subreddit (that I moderate); I can still see the post contents. The post is “[ removed ]” to the public eye; but still exists.

However; if you “delete” your post; it appears to me as a subreddit moderator, and to the public in general as “[ deleted ]”

I cannot be certain if reddit admins can see deleted posts/content on reddit.com; as I am not one.

It however appears that Lemmy takes one more logical step that aligns more with modern privacy expectations; and that’s to expose to the user that when they “delete” their own post that it can still be “undeleted” by either themselves or someone else who is authorized, like an Admin.

That’s peculiar, considering that once you delete your account the content is purged.