He detailed that in his post. They have control over his personal information and he wants it back.

Is there a FB app that would backup your list of contacts and other information you'd like to have? Is it against the ToS?

The only data he really lost is messages and what not, which isn't too bad (I doubt many people store life critical data in their Facebook messages). Photos he should already have on his computer. It sounded to me that he wanted his Facebook account back so he could continue to use the site, not capture posts he made so they could be saved.

Anyway, I'd treat it as a lesson learned. You have no recourse with a free service. Don't count on it as always being there. Especially for services like Facebook that are burning through crazy amounts of cash. Facebook could go away entirely tomorrow and the world wouldn't grind to a halt.

Yes:

http://apps.facebook.com/friendcsv/

Warning, this is what got Robert Scoble kicked off FB:

http://scobleizer.com/2008/01/03/ive-been-kicked-off-of-face...

Ya, this would be against the ToS.

This sort of data proprietarianism is just evil. For exactly the reasons that were discussing this topic today. Holding people hostage for their data is a slimy and vile way to treat your customers.

Agreed. I knew there was a good reason why I have never put anything of any real value on FaceBook... Or any social networking site for that matter.

The only reason I even joined up on FaceBook to begin with is that a friend invited me, and I thought being in the web industry, I should see what all the fuss was about. I joined, clicked around for a bit, found no value, left and never really looked back.